Back To: April Calendar
4-25-01: No evidence of hatching yet. It was a routine night with three food deliveries and one brief outing. June has slept for most of the morning and only called to Ward once. The skies are clear and the winds are calm, so that hunting conditions are ideal and Ward is ready.
4-23-01: With warm weather and clear skies, things are back to normal. Ward continues to roost close to the nest and exchanged classic hoots with June three times yesterday. He made three food deliveries last night and June greeted each with loud squealing. I thought something might be happening when she spent several minutes staring at the eggs just before sunset, but there is no sign of hatching yet. Wednesday would be the most likely day, but it could happen sooner or later. (9:30am)
4-21-01: Ward made seven food deliveries in less than one hour just before midnight last night and then took the rest of the evening off. The large number of deliveries and short interval between them (as little as three minutes) leads me to believe he has found some small easy prey. The most likely candidate would be the spring peepers (small frogs) that can be heard calling in large numbers near the nest. June has called to Ward only once today and looks quite relaxed in the nest. Ward continues to roost in trees close to the nest.
4-18-01: Ward had one of his best nights last night with five food deliveries before dawn. Four of them went directly to the nest while the fifth was delivered to a nearby perch and handed off amidst loud hooting. They also exchanged classic hoots on three occasions yesterday and have done so again this morning. It's cold and rainy today, but June looks quite content as she sleeps on her eggs. (11:45am)
4-16-01: While I did not hear the great horned owls last nigh, it was another quiet night at the nest box. June left the nest twice to meet Ward east of the nest (away from the area where the great horned owls have been calling) and returned to the nest quietly on both occasions. Ward was reported to be doing a lot of hooting even further east by a neighbor. Don't know if this is a diversionary tactic, or just letting off steam. Weather is again perfect today and June is now preening her feathers in the bright sunlight. She has called to Ward once today, but he did not respond. (1pm)
4-15-01: The great horned owls remain in the area and could be heard hooting in the distance at dawn. Highly unusual for great horned owls who very rarely hoot in daylight. June left the nest only once last nigh and staid out for about ten minutes. Ward made no doorway deliveries. It's a nice spring day and June is sleeping in the sunshine streaming through her door.
4-13-01: After being "missing in action" through the evening of April 11 and all day on the 12th, Ward made his first food delivery in more than 24 hours at 10pm on the 12th. He then made two more food deliveries before dawn this morning. While June has gone this long without food in past years, she has never taken it as well as she did this time. She slept for most of the day and did not call for ward even once. The rain that has prevailed for the last two days has now halted and tonight should provide more favorable hunting conditions. Coyotes have been very active in the area for the last few days with much howling throughout the night.
4-11-01: Ward made two food deliveries with the last occurring at 7am today. It was an unusually large white-footed mouse which she ate immediately. She is now sleeping quietly in the nest, while Ward can be seen sunning himself on his favorite perch. (11am)