27 November 2022
Making progress
Just popped over the wall to check on the owls – always a slightly anxious moment after being away for a few days. The female didn’t even wait for me to climb down off the roof of the box before flying down to the Tea Garden (she usually waits until I’m kneeling on the roof next the box looking at her through the gap between the roof and wall of the box).
I looked into the box . . . and it’s good news! The chick is developing really well – it’s more than doubled in size; its’ eyes were half-open; it has already lost the egg tooth, and is also showing the development of the second down – visible as small pale cream triangular patches on the wings.
More good news is that there were the remains of two Vlei Rats in the nest – so plenty of food! Certainly, being an only chick has some advantages!
I haven’t had time to do a thorough search for the missing chick from the first brood – so still some concerns on that front, but I will keep everyone posted!
By Geoff Lockwood