Videos & Pictures
Live mouse in the house- don’t watch if you are squeamish.
Seeing the almost two week old owlets....with Bud and Stella
Tony brought Pepper a baby rabbit while she sat on her 7 eggs. Nature, not sure how to feel.
Stella feeding her week old owlets.
Three owlets hatched. Stella tearing pieces of rat and feeding owlets.
Pepper has laid 7 eggs as of today!
First Feeding!
Buddy brings Stella dinner and fertilizes her while she warms her 1st egg.
Bob comes over for a drink
Buddy and Stella reuniting in time to teach the owlets how to hunt for food.
2 week old owlet eating a rabbit. Sadly, the others will get less food...
Fortunately Stella is still feeding her youngest owlet, Ely. Many Barn Owls , after 10 days, only bring in whole mice .
Buddy’s bachelor pad .
Buddy was waiting in the nest with food for the owlets when Stella arrived from her hunt . For some reason, she panicked that Buddy might hurt the babies or she didn’t realize it was Buddy. Barn Owls are supposed to be able to see in complete darkness, as this box
is in complete darkness . We can see because I installed an infrared camera. It is possible she has less than stellar eyesight-When she realized it was Buddy, she grabbed the food and she was ok.
is in complete darkness . We can see because I installed an infrared camera. It is possible she has less than stellar eyesight-When she realized it was Buddy, she grabbed the food and she was ok.
Stella is a great mom because she is still ripping up her prey and feeding her newest owlets Ely and Rocky even though Blue and Goose can already devour whole, small mice .
Buddy comes into the nest with food for Stella, Blue, Goose, Michy, Ely and Rocky only to find Stella out hunting. Stella has just started leaving the nest again so he was shocked to see the kids all alone. Stella usually tears it apart and feeds each one of her babies that sticks his head out but Buddy has never done that. Buddy is looking like an owl in headlights! He just drops the food and leaves...Family roles...
We are welcoming our 4th and 5th owlets! We now have from oldest to youngest, Blue, Goose, Michy, Rocky and Ely!
April 28th - Blue and Goose have hatched!
April 26th - First baby feeding!
April 14th - Dinner Dance
Many of you have asked me why I chose the names Buddy and Stella. Here is your answer ! My son works for Anheuser Busch. Our six owlets, possibly hatching within 7 days, may have some "crafty" names too!
Stella went to owl cam north where Buddy sleeps periodically. When Buddy heard her coming he freaked! Stella invaded his nest and let him know how she felt about his sleeping elsewhere.
April 4th - 6th egg and dinner in bed
March 2nd 5th egg being laid!
Stella gulping down her prey.
March 31st - Stella gnawing on bird leftovers for breakfast. Notice that she even swallows the feathers but leaves a part of the bird for later, right next to her mouse dinner.
March 31 Buddy decided to go to our other nest box and leave Stella in their home... Owl obstacles.
March 28th - Late Night Snack
March 28th - Three Eggs
March 26 - Here, Stella sees her eggs are too far apart and she moves them together so she can keep them warm.
March 26 - Two eggs!
March 24 - Laying First Egg
March 24 - Stella and Bud flew into their nest only to find a female intruder waiting anxiously. Stella tried to be friendly but the female intruder only wanted to fight Stella for her partner and nest . Bud flew in to try to mate with Stella but realized quickly that they were serious - he didn't try to protect Stella since they were not a serious couple yet. Bud flew out to save himself! The two females fought but not to kill. Stella was victorious and Bud and Stella have been together ever since.