SNN (ScrollingNetworkNews) ✿ ✿ Our Mel and Sydney returned to their nesting box with plenty of bonding occurring..but after 2.5 months of Sydney in the box from Dec 2013 to mid Feb 2014, the lack of prey gifts from Mel ( perhaps due to the severe and historic drought underway in California)and they have forgone the nesting process this year as many other raptors ✿ Compared to other owls of similar size, the Barn Owl has a much higher metabolic rate, requiring relatively more food. Pound for pound, Barn Owls consume more rodents – often regarded as pests by humans – than possibly any other creature. ✿ We remind viewers that sometimes owlets may not survive - the parents will dispose of things in "The Owl Way" -viewer discretion is advised, this is nature and the "Owl way". ✿ ~ ✿ “Animals, like us, are living souls. They are not things. They are not objects. Neither are they human. Yet they mourn. They love. They dance. They suffer. They know the peaks and chasms of being.” ― Gary Kowalski, The Souls of Animals ✿ Each species is a masterpiece, a creation assembled with extreme care and genius." ~ E.O. Wilson

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Adventures with Mel and Syd

Both Adi and Hunter wait and wait for their dinner. They've been crossing the invisible line now and know that the food comes from the magic porthole in the door.


The first treat comes via a beak hand off to Hunter, a Slider at 10:59pm.

Not until 3:26am did the second treat come in (Both shredded & ate)



Does the tail tell the tale? 
Many viewers have noticed the spotting on Hunters tail vs none on Adi's. What could this mean or does this mean anything at all?

Unlike the true science of DNA to determine gender, some visual observations can be a clue and we believe that those clues are now surfacing. With last year's clutch of Mags and Boomer, these subtle clues came to light at about this same time in age. Boomer had the spots on the tail where Mags did not. We watched as they aged and it was clear to many that Boomer was the female and Mags was the male.

Could this be the clue to the case again with Adi and Hunter?
Is it possible that the spotted tailed Hunter is female while the non spotted Adi is male? ¯\(°_o)/¯

Within the next few weeks as the owlets lose their fluffy down and their feathers and coloring are more apparent, will give us more of an idea on gender.