Community Corner
Viewfinder: Owls of Canada Cove 2011
An update on the family of owls living in the eucalyptus grove at Canada Cove.
The Owls of Canada Cove hatched one owlet in 2011 who grew to full size and has now left the grove to search for a home of his own. Previously, I published a photo essay of the first six weeks of its life, up until it fledged and flew for the first time on May 12.
The rain and fog of 2011 were a challenge, and I was lucky to get the pictures I did of this year's youngster. There are much fewer pictures of the parents.
The owlet was born about March 20, 2011. The mother broods the newborn for two weeks making it difficult to pinpoint the birth date. The owlets usually fledge at about six weeks. This one did not fly until it was a little over seven weeks old.
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And that is where we pick up the story today. The owlet remained in the grove with the two parents until the end of September, a full seven months. I watched it grow and learn to hunt, practicing unsuccessfully to catch local quail. One day, near the end of August, the owlet caught a vole all by itself. I'm sure it will do fine.
Here is a short video of the owlet at four months.
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The parent owls chase their young off to find their own hunting grounds, but these adults remain in this eucalyptus grove they have occupied for at least 10 years. If all goes well the cycle will repeat in 2012, and I will be there, shooting those family portraits.
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