To: Journey North
From: Mr. Ken Highfill and Students
Lawrence High School, Lawrence, KS
Date: March 29, 1996
Mrs. Irene Morris, 94 year old Outreach Participant in our program, has reported to our wildlife research team that she has an unusual bird nesting in a clay flower pot. The bird is a Great Horned Owl. Mrs. Morris has been watching the owl for over a month. The owl had laid one egg in the nest before Mrs. Morris knew that she had a visitor on her apartment's balcony. The second egg was laid on the 28 February. Great Horned Owls are expected to lay their eggs days apart.
The owl merely shaped a nest in the dry soil within the flower pot and began nesting. No feathers lined the nest.
Two weeks ago, Mrs. Morris, in the middle of the night, discovered that the flower pot had fallen over. The dirt and two eggs were dumped onto the floor of the balcony. Mrs. Morris, carefully scooped up the remaining soil and replaced the eggs in the flower pot. She was concerned that the eggs might be damaged and that the owl might not return. However, within an hour the owl was back to reclaim its flower pot and eggs. Wind had not been a factor; the owl had knocked the nest over when it flew.
At 02:00 a.m. today Mrs. Morris noticed that a freshly
hatched owlet was in the nest. This afternoon, the adult
owl flew from the nest. In a short interval, photographs
were taken of the owlet. The owlet was covered with white
down and was about the size of a "D" flash light battery.
The only insulation in the nest was two wide patches of
fur from a freshly killed E. cottontail
rabbit. A flock of Common Crows attempted to attack
the owl as it perched in a tree across the street from
the balcony. Within a few minutes, the owl had returned
to the nest.
During the early morning of 31 March, the second owlet hatched. Thus, the incubation for the egg has been 32 days.
To hear the owlets, CLICK HERE (225K pc.wav) .
Updates will follow!
Mr. K. Highfill and Students
Lawrence High School, Lawrence, KS
Khighfil@ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu
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