Woody
the owl hatched sometime during the night and was already wheezing for
food when the sun came up. It was, however, a tough first day for Woody as
there was no food in the nest. June repeatedly called for food, but there
was no response from Ward as all the owlets joined in begging for food
that she did not have to give them. By 3pm, she had become so impatient
that she went out looking for Ward, leaving Woody alone to compete with
the older owlets. They immediately piled on him in their never-ending
struggle to be on top when the food arrives. That's Daphne facing the
camera with her head on Woody's back and Dexter with his head on top of
Daphne. Woody struggled and escaped a few times, but always seemed to wind
up on the bottom. When June returned twenty minutes later, she brought no
food and the wheezing continued throughout the afternoon. I've never heard
June sound so distressed as her whines had become desperate squeals by the
time Ward arrived at 8pm. She burst out of the nest to meet him before he
even reached the door and was back in a matter of seconds. She started
ripping the prey up immediately and was soon making that familiar galloping
sound which drove the owlets into a feeding frenzy. The hissing sound
that follows is the earliest version of the wheezing call which will
continue to develop through the entire nesting season. The prey item Ward
delivered must have been a big one because the session lasted for
more than twenty minutes. As of 11pm, Ward had not returned, but the
owlets were sleeping quietly and must have been satisfied with their meal.
Ward will definitely have to step up his hunting production if all of the
owlets are to make it.
Note: Woody is named after the "Wood Owl" family of which Barred Owls are a member. There are at least 20 species of owls in this family and they are spread throughout most of the World. In addition to the Barred Owl, this family includes the Spotted Owl in the Western United States, the Tawny Owl in much of Europe, and the Sichuan Wood Owl in the mountain forests of Central China. All bear a strong resemblance to the Barred Owl, with big round heads and dark eyes, but they speak surprisingly different languages.