MISC. GHO ~ 2016-2018

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12731

The owlets are viewable now, along with their very special Mom's.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12731

Jina and the owlets are enjoying more snow!! :biggrin:

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12731

Jina started hunting @ night and bringing in rodents approx 2-3 nights ago. Aries and Sienna continue to hunt too. Sometimes none of the ladies are home and Aries gets to hand a meal directly to one of his kids and he seems to enjoy that ... always ending with a long, hoot-hoot from him before takeoff! :teehee:

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12731

Another tussle @ 0413 on DVR. Chicks were cuddling when Jina arrives ... Jina jumps up into air from ledge with wings outstretched and averts landing by Sienna ... shortly, Sienna returns and she puts Jina on her back, immediately in front of chicks with Jina's wings outstretched ... talon grasps and pecks and wings ... and then it is over once again and all are well ... chicks are taking it all in! Tussle was about prey.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12731

At 5:05 nest time one of the owlets accidentally slipped off the ledge. It is a 2 story building. Will post Nevada response in a minute.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12731

If I had not read this with my own eyes, I would not post this. Still wonder if a troll on chat designed this to look official, but the Nevada Dept of Wildlife stated: Maybe one of the owls would gently lift it and return it to the ledge.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12731

Jina was with the owlets and as yet, has not budged during or since the incident.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12731

When:
UPDATE- 4/23 The owlet which dropped off the ledge appears to be relatively fine. It sat up initially. Then it took a nap (in the normal headdown on surface mode the owlets frequently use), and now it is sitting up again, and just stretched legs and wings. It has watched at least one lizard run near it.

Experts say owlets falling out of nests should be left alone. The adults will continue to feed and protect them where they end up and will encourage them to safer locations. Currently our biggest concern is the well meaning community deciding to come rescue it. If we verify the adults have abandoned it or it is injured, DRI will work with NDOW on options.

Getting close to the owlet will stress it out. It is also likely to keep the adults away from the owlet for us to hover. It has 3 adults to protect and feed it so its chances are better than normal. Please keep a respectful distance. See more information from biologists below the timeline.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12731

Washoe is 4 weeks old today. Zephyr will be 4 weeks old tomorrow or next day.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12731

This was posted prior to incident, I think. It is located @ bottom of page of cam. Talking about owlets in general.

A note from NDOW's biologists:

We have received several calls this past week from people who happen upon these adorable little balls of fluff. This is the time of the year when Great-horned Owls fledge, or leave their nest and become mobile.

Great-horned Owls are our earliest nesting birds. It seems a contradiction; however, the adult owls are often on nests by late January when the winds are howling and snow covers our northern landscape. Great-horned Owls do not build their own nest. Instead, they choose an old nest of a crow, hawk, or even a building ledge to call their own.

When the young owls are 6-8 weeks old, they begin to venture from their nest. This is before they can actually fly. Nature's method provides owlets opportunities to develop their leg muscles that will very soon be catching their own prey. In a natural setting owlets that appear to have fallen from their nest actually have fledged. In a natural wooded area, bushes and smaller trees provide a ladder of sorts and allow the chicks to climb to a higher perch until they can fly. Once they leave the nest they will most likely not return until they can fly. When owls nest in a city with concrete below them rather than a soft forest floor, problems arise. That is also the case with a well-manicured park or lawn setting that has nothing that can function as a ladder for the owlets.

The owlets just need to be left alone so the adult can tend to them. No matter how good the wildlife rehab centers are, the owlets' natural parents are always the best choice to raise them.

Owlets can eat between 13-17 mice per night when they are about 3-4 weeks old. They are little mouse-eating machines until their growth levels out. An adult owl eats about 4 mice per day. The parents will continue to provide for the owlets until they are able to do so on their own.

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 2:18 pm **Posts:** 64407

SWINWK wrote:

When:
UPDATE- 4/23 The owlet which dropped off the ledge appears to be relatively fine. It sat up initially. Then it took a nap (in the normal headdown on surface mode the owlets frequently use), and now it is sitting up again, and just stretched legs and wings. It has watched at least one lizard run near it.

Experts say owlets falling out of nests should be left alone. The adults will continue to feed and protect them where they end up and will encourage them to safer locations. Currently our biggest concern is the well meaning community deciding to come rescue it. If we verify the adults have abandoned it or it is injured, DRI will work with NDOW on options.

Getting close to the owlet will stress it out. It is also likely to keep the adults away from the owlet for us to hover. It has 3 adults to protect and feed it so its chances are better than normal. Please keep a respectful distance. See more information from biologists below the timeline.

Thank goodness it is ok!! But where is it? Lower ledge? Surely its not on the ground somewhere.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12731

As far as I know, it is on the ground.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12731

DRI worker on chat reporting this:

We (DRI workers) got an e-mail to give owls some privacy and not bother them. We will try our best.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12731

Here is the google photo circled with the location of the ledge Jina and Sienna nest on and the surroundings:

Unknown who captured.

Nadia · **Posted:** Tue Apr 24, 2018 9:06 am

I have been watching this nest daily, just not posting. I have captures of the fall, slip, or intentional departure from the ledge. It looked almost intentional to me. Just my opinion. The owlet was quite hot in full sun on the cement ledge. Jina could have moved into the shade by 4 pm in the corner of the ledge, but did not. The owlet went over the ledge at 5:05 pm. It's a 30 foot drop, but the owlet did open its wings instinctively to flutter down. To my eye, it looked like the younger, smaller owlet, namely Zephyr. Anyway, the owlet is on the ground in a courtyard that is surrounded by the DRI buildings. There is concrete, grass, and bushes. The owlet will probably be fine, if people leave it be. There are 3 adults (one mother and one surrogate mother) tending to these youngsters. I suspect Jina (mom) will monitor one owlet while Sienna (surrogate mom) monitors the other. Both are too young to fledge and were not doing a lot of hop flapping yet. I understand that if the parents get spooked by people and do not tend to the owlet, then animal rescue will step in.

Here are pics of the ledge departure at 505pm.

Here's a video of the fall. Video courtesy of Arlene Beech.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12731

Here is the update with video of the owlet on the ground from the Nevada Dept. of Wildlife:

Nadia · **Posted:** Tue Apr 24, 2018 8:38 pm

Swinwk. I came upon that video before leaving the office tonight. You saved me the trouble of posting. The little tyke is doing fine on the ground. I understand that they cordoned off the area to keep any human interference away. Those that work in the building say that the courtyard is a safe, quiet place for this youngster. Hopefully, all will be well and he/she will be flying before you know it.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12731

Have to leave, we are on owlet watch ... did it or did it not go to ground @ 2001 nest time? So far it has not come in view as I leave now. Will explain more later.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12731

At 2203 the fluff ball (this owlet has a lot more fluff than the one on the ground and it makes it look bigger) makes an appearance from the right of the ledge, so he's still at the nest! At 2001 the possible tail of the owlet is barely visible on screen to the far right ... All of a sudden the tip of the tale is no longer visible and Jina reacts hopping to that spot on the ledge. You see another owl do a flyby and it is unknown if the owlet had gone over the ledge. But, apparently the owlet had gotten out of the way and Jina was reacting to the owl in the air. The owlet was off cam for 2 hours and everyone held their breath till it's reappearance. So, all is well!!

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12731

You are welcome, Nadia! I was surprised to see the sudden appearance of the pics and video posted under your commentary from this morning. I guess you added them tonight @ some time. So thanks for them!! :egg19:

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MISC. GHO ~ 2016-2018

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