 The
rain and wind that lasted throughout last night limited Ward and June to
only three food deliveries and their attempts to catch up in daylight did
not go well. The crows and jays were extremely active and succeeded in
preventing any daytime food deliveries. While the owlets are now old
enough to get through a day without food, they were getting restless by
late afternoon. When Ernie (on your right) was not digging holes in the
wood chips, he was wheezing; while Emmett and Abigail spent most of their
day looking up toward the sky. As darkness approached, they all lined up
under the door and waited. Ernie was in the middle standing in one of the
holes he had dug earlier, so that they could not push him aside. His
prized position paid off just minutes after sunset when Ward made an early
mouse delivery and dangled it in front of Ernie, who grabbed and swallowed
it before the others realized what was happening. This was the start of a
record eleven food deliveries that Ward and June made in the next hour and
a half. Both adults dropped their deliveries in the door to the wheezing
leaping owlets without entering and then quickly flew away to continue
their hunting. Sooner or later June will have to enter to clean them up,
but for now she is devoting all of her energy to the hunt. |