 A nest box
does not provide as much insulation as a natural cavity deep in an old
tree trunk and this makes June nervous in rough weather. She immediately
snaps her head into the direction of every loud noise produced by the
strong winds that we have been experiencing. She is seen here reacting to
the sound of a small branch that has just crashed onto her roof. She has,
however, continued her devotion to her eggs, with only two outings in the
last 24 hours. Last night's outings were a bit longer -- about 15 minutes
-- as is typical in warm (60 degree) weather. Given the windy
conditions, Ward had a surprisingly good night with three food deliveries.
The weather is now improving and June is looking a little more relaxed as
she approaches the half-way point in incubating her eggs. Incubation times
for barred owl eggs range from 28 days to 33 days. |