Great Horned Owls..Nesting in a tree in my yard!

Thanks for all the nice comments!! I am enjoying watching these little ones so much! I always make sure that I do not bother them. Most of the time they do not even notice I am around. Here are some photos from today:

Hi Debbie!
Do you have any new pictures to share with us? Hopefully your owl family survived our "breezy" days (75mph gusts? what wind?) I imagine your little family must be starting to spread its wings by now

I have been way for awhile...This has been a rough few weeks, I was with my SIL and brother. My SIL, although going for follow-up care every 3 months (post breast cancer 3 yrs ago), she had a NEW cancer in her other breast that was TOTALLY missed. She (and our family) had no idea she was so sick until the pain in her arm (which she was told was Arthritis) got so bad she could not stand it. She went to an urgent care (after working her shift as a waitress), and they called an ambulance because her oxygen levels were so low. That was March 30, 07. She never got to go home. She passed away on April 26, 07 from cancer in her breast, bone, and lung. I was holding her hand when she died. The reason I am writing this is to say, in my SIL's memory, her name is Cheryl, PLEASE insist on further testing if you feel it is needed. DO NOT let a doctor tell you things are fine, when you feel they are not. TRUST your instincts!!

The other thing that happened while I was with my brother & SIL is one of the owlets died My husband found it out of the nest (they had start fledging a few days before), it was on the ground (where he had seen it walking around the day before), and it was just lying there. no signs of trauma. I was so sad. The other owlet, now a Juvi Owl, I am happy to say, is doing very well!! Here are some photos taken today, he (or she) was in a Joshus Tree on our property.

You have been through a lot the past days. I am so sad for the loss that you must be feeling. Prayers to you brother and all of your family in the loss of Cheryl.

Also, so sorry to hear about the owlet. The surviving guy/gal is very cute.

Thanks for posting.

Gee Calindy, I'm sorry for you and your brothers loss. I never trust doctors, what do they know?

I think in the case of the owl on the ground, I would have caught it and put it back in the nest or even raised it myself, which I have done before with other raptors. It probably died of thirst in Joshua tree land. Many owls fall out of the nest but can climb the tree to get back up, but probably couldn't climb a Joshua tree.

Canonloader...Thanks for the kind words about my SIL...it is such an unbelieveable story it sounds like it was made up...I wish it was made up

As far as the owlet goes...We were told by an "owl expert" to leave it alone...so my husband did, and now he feels terrible!! You never know if nature just took it's course (something was wrong with the owlet), or if it did die from thirst (makes me sick to think that).

On a happy note, the other owlet is thriving. We had a scare the other day. A dirt bike went by and I just happen to see the owlet fly off (it was at that time staying in the next lot over), and I looked thru my binoculars and saw it hit the ground. So I went looking for it and could not find it. Then my son noticed it in a field around 10-15 acres away. It was tired, could only fly small amts, and would fall back down to the ground. Then it started to walk the wrong way!! We are in the desert and there are all kinds of animals around, so I could only imagine what could happen to that little guy. So I went around the back of it and corralled it towards it's mother. My neighbors came to see what I was doing, and they helped!! I took a photo which I will post below of the owlet (I guess Juvi Owl now) when I was corralling him, he kept looking at me and I can only imagine what he was thinking! We were succesful and he finally flew into the area where his mom was.
Since that incident, the Juvi Owl and his mom have been staying on our property! Maybe she decided he was not ready to move over to the next lot afterall, LOL!!!

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I'm not one of the people who believes in hands off with any animal. It's not going to make one whit of difference if someone helps an animal or leaves it alone in the long run, I don't think there is any grand plan. But I just can't believe that an animal in distress should be left to suffer when I have the ability to help. It's what makes me human.

I see what you are saying. I guess I should be clearer on what happened. My husband NEVER saw the owlet in distress. It was walking around when he last saw it, and when he went out the next day it was dead. When the 3 owlets on our property fledged last year, we saw them walking around on the ground many times (when we learned that it was normal and to leave them alone), and they all survived. In other words, he thought things were fine, just like the owlets last year. Had that owlet been in ANY distress, he would have intervened...these owlets are like our family...one's with wings!!

Very sorry to hear of the loss in your family. My sympathy goes out to you and yours.

Sorry, too, to hear about the owlet. Thanks for keeping us posted on this amazing owl story.

Calindy, I was thinking more about what the "experts" say. There is no global warming, the ozone layer is fine, let nature take it's course, leave it alone, the shuttle is fine for another launch, saddam has weapons of mass destruction, no you don't need another checkup. I'm coming to the belief we'd all be better off without the experts.

canonloader wrote in post #3231125
Calindy, I was thinking more about what the "experts" say. There is no global warming, the ozone layer is fine, let nature take it's course, leave it alone, the shuttle is fine for another launch, saddam has weapons of mass destruction, no you don't need another checkup. I'm coming to the belief we'd all be better off without the experts.

GOOD REPLY!!! I hear ya!!!

Thank-you to everyone who has sent kind words about my SIL....it means a lot to me!!

Wow, these are great photos. They remind me of a Great-horned Owl family we had on our property years ago. What fun it was to watch the youngster learn to fly. The landings were spectacular. So sorry for the loss of your SIL.

Just an update, the Juvi Owl is doing well! He stays in or near my property, so I get to see him everyday! His parents are always nearby....

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Ooooh, he's growing up fast.

Glad to see he's doing OK.