Now, that we know where the cavity is, we can start to learn to tell the parents apart.  This evening, we see one of the owls, I begin to call Trident, because of three lines that come off its forehead.  It might turn out that there are four, but the name sticks.

Chris was the only one watching the owls this evening and sent this great report:

"Well, I screwed around with e-mail after sending that message to you all, got out late with the dog and was rewarded for my tardiness –I found the nest cavity.

The female and the fledge came out of a *very* small hole near the lamp post at about 7:12. 

I was walking by with the dog, scouting tree branches when a little gray fluffball poking its nose around caught my eye.   The mother and fledge took turns peeking out of the hole from about 7:10 — they must have been standing on each others heads or something  —  then flew out to the tree near where the third chick was rescued by Barbara and Carolyn. 

There they were greeted by the male who was roosting or in another cavity.  He flew upwards, from the left, responding to the same haunting percussive calls of the female we heard Friday night — and attempted to copulate with her.  He didn’t get a good hold and dropped off after a brief moment.  They all flew off very quickly at about 7:20 towards the Friday night ‘sex tree’ but I lost them and didn’t make much effort to find them. 

It really is cold and damp.

They’re still in a cavity!

Chris and Fig.

Owl sex was again seen, but not photographed. The sex has us questioning if after the loss of three chicks, is there a chance of a second brood?

As it got dark, the female adult, followed by the fledgling, appeared on the trees east of a Grotto.  While there, the female adult sang one soft song.  It was the trill song, the one we used to hear the West Drive screech female singing after her mate disappeared.

The female and fledgling headed west along the edge of the Pool and then few across the water, landing in a tree at the east end of the Pool.  Then the female alone flew into a bare tree just to the north.

A few seconds later,  we heard two trill songs, one from the female and a response from the male somewhere nearby.  Suddenly the male appeared right above the female.  And there, silhouetted by an almost full moon, we saw an amazing sight–Owl sex.

Then all three flew across the drive, and into the darkness of the night.

A tree just starting to bud is popular with the owls.  A tough night for photographs.  One thing is clear, if you’re going to follow owls, expect good nights and bad nights.

This evening, the fledgling was easy to photograph and watch.  We were beginning to learn their perches and habits, but still had a lots to discover.