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Kids & Family

PHOTO OF THE DAY: Time to Fledge

A six-week-old Great Horned Owlet steps out into the world just south of Half Moon Bay.

Right on cue, this six-week-old Great Horned Owlet prepares to leave the nest. It is not yet skilled to catch its own food — that learning stage is next. The owlet will stay and explore the eucalyptus grove where it was born and the parents will continue to feed the it over the next four or five months. By then it will be time to search out its own territory — maybe near your home.

The coast is home to a variety of owls. Do you hear them hooting at night? This one, and its parents, live near my home just south of Half Moon Bay.

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