The Point's Owlet!

Great Horned Owls start nesting in January and February and lay 2 to 4 dull white eggs in a borrowed nest of another raptor, such as a hawk or crow. Incubation lasts between 26 and 35 days, done by the mother, while the male feeds her and then the owlets for a couple of weeks after they have hatched. After the babies have their second set of down feathers, the male and female hunt and feed the babies together for up to 3 months, while the owlets grow very quickly and eat ravenously. They stay together as a loosely knit family through the summer, until autumn, when the juveniles disperse. The mated pair will remain in the same territory up to 8 years.

Here at the Point, a Great Horned Owl with nest and babies was reported over near Lake Lilly.  On the way, I spotted 2 birders and they led me to the special vantage point to get a glimpse. I came back in late afternoon, when the lighting was better, to take these photos:

I was surprised by the small nest size. Apparently, there had been 2 owlets, but now only one remains. The mother and baby can barely fit in the nest as it is. The owlet is covered in white fluffy down with a dark predominant beak. The mother is stoic and keeps a close watch on us.

Owlets start roaming onto nearby branches after 6-7 weeks even though they still are covered in down.  They are called "branchers" at this stage, but can't really fly until 9+ weeks. 

Here, the owlet tries out his quickly growing wings, teetering precariously on the edge of the nest, but  perhaps, almost ready to move beyond the nest. 

I stopped by again this morning for a quick peek and the owlet was tucked under the mother, shielded from the chilly wind, with only its tail visible. I guess, it decided to stay close for another day.

Sources: 

http://birdnote.org/bird/great-horned-owl-bubo-virginianus; 

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/great_hornedowl/lifehistory

http://www.internationalowlcenter.org

http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Bubo&species=virginianus

Birding Lists and Journals

Being a frequent visitor to Cape May, it is high time to start keeping track of all the birds I see. Where to start?  I bought a ABA Area Trip List at the Cape May Bird Observatory to first record all the birds I have ever seen. 

I would like a more permanent journal, but this is a start.  My list includes a rather meager number of only 130 species.

The 7.7 downloadable version for September 2014 of the ABA Birding Checklist can be found at this site and includes 987 species:  http://listing.aba.org/aba-checklist/. 

My goal is to increase my knowledge by participating in more birding classes in PA and NJ. I bought a Rite in the Rain All Weather Birder's Journal with a corresponding pen to use during these walks and classes and to keep track of what I see. 

I like what these blogs suggest for keeping a birding journal, such as:

a. Include the species name, habitat, weather, date, appearance, behavior, vocalizations, and flock size. 

b. Include a quick sketch. 

c. Note the color and size of the beak, the eyes, legs and feet.

http://birding.about.com/od/birdingbasics/a/How-To-Keep-A-Birding-Journal.htm

http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/bwdsite/solve/howto/journal.php

The folks at 10,000 Birds Blog have an excellent post about why to keep birding lists: http://10000birds.com/birdlist.  I like how they have a digital running list for their life list and yearly list.

My goal is to at least double my number by the end of the year and keep a yearly list. I want to focus on shorebirds, gulls, warblers and sparrows.