Should the
hatching owlet be helped, or left to struggle with its stubborn shell all
night? Who gets the last bits of mouse on a hungry day? When should she
intervene to protect Seymour from the older owlets? How long before
they should be coaxed from the nest? June has the answers to all of
these questions and doesn't need to consult with experts to be sure. The
truth of her answers has been tested by thousands of generations of barred
owls. They were raising their young just as June is long before the first Americans arrived on the continent to wonder at the
sounds coming from the night. Rufus, Emily, and Seymour don't know it yet,
but are grateful for the wisdom of June's choices. Happy Mother's Day to
all.
The owlets look content in the nest this morning as June calls to reassure them from a nearby perch where she is enjoying a nice spring morning.