nature calling: a season for owls

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Father owl. Rex McDaniel. June 23, 1018

It has been a story that has fascinated us at Ijams for weeks. A pair of barred owls raised a family of three high in the trees above the historic Homesite pond built by H.P. Ijams in 1924. H.P. wanted a safe place for his four daughters to swim. He also created a barred owl magnet since their preferred habitat is woods near water.

This isn't the first year that barred owls have nested there but it is the first year the process has been so well documented.

Our 2018 mother owl probably laid her clutch in mid-March. Incubation takes about 4 weeks and they tend to leave the nest in another 4 or 5 weeks. On May 10, our own owl whisperer Rex McDaniel was the first to spot one of the owlets out of the nest cavity perched on a branch. At this point, before they actually can fly, they are called "branchies." Since then, we have posted several photos by Rex and TN Naturalist student Evan Kidd.

Now, the clutch of three seems to have dispersed. Occasionally, throughout most of July, one was seen here or there even near the Visitor Center, Universal Trail and up at the garden site.

BUT, Rex met Jay Simoneaux down by the pond a few weeks ago who had managed to take a photo of all three juveniles together on one branch, even grooming each other. Taken on Friday, June 29, this was probably one of the last times all there siblings were together. Although we know that Hannah Bingman reports that they saw the trio together plus a parent at the pond on July 2.

Thanks for sharing your photos, Rex, Evan and Jay.