 After
laying her first egg on the 23rd, June left the nest at sunset and did not return
until the next morning. Even then, she merely stood over the egg and
occasionally touched it with her foot as she is
seen doing here. She again left the nest on the second night, but returned
4 hours later just before the temperature dropped below freezing for the
first time. She then stayed in the nest for the rest of that night and
through the second day,
but again did not appear to be incubating the egg. Not until this morning,
when she laid her second egg, did she start to take her incubating duties
seriously. She spent the entire day incubating her two eggs and did not
leave the nest until Ward arrived at 8pm to deliver a meal. She went out
to meet him, but returned to her eggs just five minutes later. Her delay
in starting incubation of the first egg should result in the two eggs
hatching at about the same time -- just as they did last year. It is
possible that there will be a third egg again this year, but two is more
common for barred owls, and only time will tell. The snowstorm that we are
experiencing tonight will make it difficult for Ward to find enough food,
but so far he seems to be up to the task. He is, after all, a very
experienced hunter who knows his territory well. |