01 December 2021
Back . . . but not together (yet?)
Yesterday evening I set out to check on how the returned female was interacting with her family. She has been roosting apart from the male and the two youngsters – either in the Evergreen Oak, or in the Cabbage Tree and I wanted to see if, and how, she approached and reacted to the other owls as it grew dark.
I found the male roosting on a window ledge next to the Evergreen Oak, and the female was in her ‘normal’ spot on the lower roof under the overhang – around the corner and out of sight of the male. The two youngsters were in their favourite spot – on the parapet amongst the foliage of the Monkey Thorn at the back of the Centre. The male was facing into the corner of the window recess and seemed to be watching his reflection. He gave single ‘Huu hooo’ calls at 18:05, and again at 18:31, but the female around the corner didn’t respond and carried on dozing. At 18:57 the male flew to the corner of the back roof, directly above where the female was dozing, and hooted several times. This time the female’s response was more promising – she was instantly alert, and then moved out from under the overhang along the parapet to where she could see the male. As she flew up to join him however, he flew off into the park – so some work to be done.
Male on the window ledge 
Female in her usual spot under the overhang on the lower roof
The rufous chick 
The second chick
By Geoff Lockwood