The owl files – Chapter 3: Mixed progress

31 July 2022

Mixed progress

Got back from a successful trip to Phalaborwa to try and see the latest addition to the southern African bird list – a very lost Wood Warbler (more on that in a different post), and was waiting for the female to leave the nest so I could check on progress. Excited chattering from the bulbuls in the Tea Garden alerted me to her departure .   .   . and it was up the ladder to see how things were going. The two chicks had grown nicely, and there was a partially-eaten young Vlei Rat in the nest – but the last egg is still not showing any signs of hatching. Looks like it will only be two chicks this season.

Two chicks with a partially eaten vlei rat
Two young chicks in the owl nest box

By Geoff Lockwood