 June
is shown here departing from the only daylight food delivery that she made
all day. On this early morning visit, she entered the nest with a mouse
and divided it up among them rather than giving the whole thing to one as
has been her practice lately. Ward, on the other hand, did not show up at
the nest at all today. If this is their way of encouraging the
owlets to make a more serious effort toward the door, it had little
effect during the day. Emmett made only one feeble effort in which he
briefly hooked his beak in the opening, while the others did little more
than gnaw on the owlet steps. Things did, however, pick up at sunset when
Ward and June got an early start on their nighttime deliveries. Emmett was
so excited by the first delivery -- which went to Abigail -- that he
sprung into the doorway and looked like he was going to try to follow her.
Caution, however, prevailed and he fell back into the nest to wait for the
next delivery. Leaving the security of the nest is a very stressful thing
for an owlet and it will take Ward and June's best efforts to make it
happen. |