 As
hatching day approaches, Ward is calling home three to four times each day
and June is looking at her eggs as if she knows something. She has
interrupted her incubation twice this morning to stare intently at the
eggs. It is possible that she has detected activity inside the egg, as the
head of an owlet breaks through the internal air pocket. This process is
known as piping and occurs shortly before hatching starts. Ward just surprised
me by making his first mid-day food delivery of the season at noon. It was
an unusually large mouse which June quickly swallowed. He is shown here as
he roosted behind some colorful maple blooms yesterday. Both owls are
clearly ready for something to happen. |