June does not conduct flight school when it rains and this has
given the owlets a lot of free time over the last week. They have spent much of that time
bobbing, weaving, and wheezing as they perch on low branches that provide some shelter
from the storms. On the one occasion when I saw a wet owlet attempt to fly, it sunk very
rapidly to the ground before climbing back up into a tree. This is not surprising since
they still have a tough time maintaining level flight -- even in dry weather.
When the rain stopped and the sun came out, the owlets started
working on their pouncing technique. They dive off of a branch (as an adult would do when
hunting) and flutter to the ground. There is no prey involved, so they just look around
for a minute and then fly back up into another tree to practice again. June was very close
by as they practiced, but Ward once again remained on his high perch several hundred feet
away. I continue to be amazed that the family has stayed so close to the nest and take it
as an indication that they feel safe here. All of the pictures in these updates were taken
from inside my house.