Betsy

1. I feel so fortunate to be watching a Barn Owl in my neighborhood on a Webcam, The Mother Barn Owl laid 5 eggs in April. Incubation is approximately 30 days. Four have hatched, one is left. It is hard to get a good look at the babies because they are so small but I can see their movement under her wings. When she stands, I have seen her caress the babies with her talons which I know have very sharp claws. Nevertheless, she strokes them, one at a time. I have seen her fly in with a rodent and then eat it. She does a lot of preening of her feathers and occasionally will expand her wings almost as another way of protecting her babies. My grandchildren made me an owl box for Christmas which will be mounted early next year with the hopes of housing an Owl family. 2. Likely birds in the area that I have identified and seen within the last few days are Dark-eyed Junco's, California Scrub-Jays, California Towhee, Acorn Woodpecker, Violet-green Swallow, American Robin, and a Northern Mockingbird. The Northern Mockingbird was at a friend's house who has learned to call the mockingbirds to her. This one came about a month ago, injured with half its beak gone. As it was very thin and unable to get a good grip on food, she helped by feeding it mealworms. The bird will come to her but until I was there , would not come down when anyone else was around. I felt privileged that the bird felt it could come to the feeder while I was there approximately two feet away.