Tawny Owlets !

It’s been over two years since I’ve last seen a tawny owl, although I have often heard them twitting and too-ooing in the evenings. Yesterday I was thrilled to find a nest with three tawny owlets snuggled up inside. It was in a tree hollow that I’ve kept an eye on over the years. I’ve wondered if it was perhaps a grey squirrel drey, indeed I thought I was seeing a squirrel to start with. However my binoculars gave me a much sharper view and I was thrilled to see a fluffy grey owl! I kept my distance, not wanting to disturb it or alarm watching owl parents.

There was some shuffling about and then I could see not just one owlet but three! They are different sizes, since owls lay their eggs about two days apart.

They were very sleepy during the daytime.

I couldn’t resist going back again in the evening along with another owl enthusiast. This time the larger of the owlets was peering out the nest with its ghost like face.

Then another spooky grey face came into view. Owlet number three remained tucked down however.

The owlets were stretching their wings and I’m guessing they may already be about three weeks old and perhaps it wont be long before they literally “branch out” from the nest. They do this before they can fly, which makes them more vulnerable to predators such as foxes and pine martins.

There were no parents in the nest but they would have been nearby. Indeed this morning on my third visit I was lucky to suddenly spot one of the camouflaged parents looking like a tree stump on a nearby tree. It was seemingly asleep, but when I raised my camera for a photograph it swiftly and silently took off. Maybe next time ….