The Lester / Amity Owlets … The first 3 months

Year 11

For six years I have followed two Great Horned Owls which live in the forest near my home in northeastern Minnesota. This year, Les and Amy (my names for the parents) selected an amazing nest location, which was low to the ground and thus vulnerable to harm from humans. For most of the owl’s nesting experience, I managed to keep the location a secret, but I owe a HUGE thanks to everyone who once they learned of the nest location also protected the owlets till they grew in size and fledged. Not a single person, including me posted anything to social media till the owlets had could fly!

Now that the leaves are out and the owlets have moved far away from the nest, I decided it was time to tell their story. No drones were used to obtain any images. The hills and topography of the land near my home provided amazing views of the owl family and their nest.

Here is one image from the owlet’s early days in the nest, and the video!

The Lester / Amity Owlets – Their Early Life (video link for email subscribers)

Great Horned Owl Family Update

Year 11
Eighty days into this year’s life of the owlets, and six years into watching Les and Amy (the parent Great Horned Owls) raise families, the owls have taught me a few rules:
  1. By myself I am often allowed within 20 yards
  2. If I bring another human with me, I must stay much further away
  3. If I step on a branch and it cracks, the owls fly away
  4. Certain times of the day are reserved for sleep, while there are other times during the day that the owlets practice hunting (sorry robins).
  5. Thou shall NOT wake an owl up from a nap!

Please note that the owlets are now often found in deciduous trees. Thus, there is no reason until the leaves fall this autumn to only perch / hunt in pine groves. Cover is everywhere now in the forest.

Day 77 (Monday … June 17th)(Owlet and Mom)

Day 79 (Wednesday … June 19th )(both owlets … different perches)

Day 80 (Yesterday … June 20th)(owlet hunting robins in the afternoon)

Rosie the Raccoon NEEDS a Break!

Year 11

Moms … ever need a break from the kids (also you Dads)? Two afternoons ago, before the torrential rains started and as the temperatures mounted … Rosie came out in the afternoon. Now I could claim she was just curious and wanted to watch me BBQ at 6 pm, but I think the combination of at least 4 crazy youngsters, heat and humidity meant she just HAD to get out of her house. The raccoon’s den is in the hollow trunk of a white pine 20 yards from our house.

When I finished cooking, both Rosie and I returned to our homes!