Wally and Theodore are almost eight weeks old and able to fly
more than one hundred feet while gaining altitude. Learning to hunt will take a lot longer
and both owlets are still totally dependent on their parents. This picture shows Theodore
wheezing for June to bring him food. The fuzzy head and the lack of distinct vertical
barring on his chest clearly distinguish him from an adult. Shortly before this picture
was taken, a Cooper's Hawk landed nearby and tried to intimidate him with a loud kek-kek-kek call. Theodore was not impressed and
held his ground until both Ward and June arrived to chase the hawk away. It was quite a
show to see two owls and a hawk weaving through the branches as the owls drove the defiant
intruder away. 
Four weeks after leaving the nest, Theodore was still playing with his food and
Wally was still stealing it from him. In this picture, a partially obscured Wally is
eating a mouse that he has just stolen from Theodore. Theodore flapped his wings and even
jumped on Wally's back, but to no avail. He had missed his chance earlier when June left
him alone with the mouse and he chose to play with it until Wally flew over and took it
away. Theodore's delay tells me that both owlets are getting plenty of food. Note
Theodore's full set of tail feathers where only a short stub existed four weeks
earlier.