It is pupping season for the coyotes. Coyotes keep their pups well hidden and safe for a long period of time. A mother herself may stay more secluded during the beginning of this time period, re-emerging quite a bit more defensive and vocal than when she last was out and about. Pups, for the most part, will not be seen until they are nearly full grown. You’ll be lucky to spot one at about three months of age: although the almost full size might deceive you into thinking it is an adult, the behavior will be the dead giveaway!!
However, other babies are around, including Great Horned Owlets who are, right now, about ready to take flight. All animals have fascinating habits and behaviors. I’ve put these owls in here to create some variety from the coyotes, and for the fun of it. These owls “branched” on the day I took these photos: they left the nest to sit on nearby branches of the same tree. They will remain in the tree for only a few more days. After they take their first flight — enticed out of the tree by their mom — they will not return to their nesting tree, but they will inhabit trees in the immediate vicinity and they will spend a lot of time with their parents learning to hunt and defend themselves, and honing their flying skills which are very awkward at first.
“Teenage” animals of all species are the most interesting ones to me. They are almost full-sized, but still exhibiting a lot of juvenile trust and curiosity. A number of people have had the experience of a coyote following them: the coyote often is a young one which is curiously watching and trying to understand. Well, I met a woman yesterday who told me that several years ago she spotted an owl fairly low in a tree. She was thrilled to have spotted it, so she remained with it for a while to watch it. And it watched her, not moving from the perch on which she had found it. After a while, she decided it was time to go. As she walked away, the owl actually hopped and flew along beside her, keeping up with her some distance! I tell this story to let everyone know that coyotes are not the only ones who follow out of curiosity. I myself had a hummingbird follow me and examine me up close — and I’ve seen hummingbirds do this same thing to a howling coyote!! The woman did not remember the date when this happened, so we could not know if it was a juvenile owl or an adult one.
In the photos above, the owlet to the left is the “younger” one — owls lay their eggs one at a time every few days, and the few days difference in age is readily apparent. Here they are huddled together, maybe for warmth and maybe for security. As I was taking the photos suddenly the one to the right opened its eyes really wide as if it had been startled. It bent its body over, beak agape as if it were really onto something it was watching on the ground. It continued to lean over, somewhat opening and closing its beak. I thought it was reacting to a black Labrador which was sitting with its owner below the tree. But no, a few seconds later I was flabbergasted: an owl pellet came out and I caught it in an image!! The entire “urp”, took exactly 24 seconds.
An owl pellet consists of a compacted mass of teeth, hair, feathers and bone remains of the animals eaten by the owl. Owls eat early in the evening and upchuck this one pellet, once a day, just about 20 hours after eating. The owl’s stomach acids are not strong enough to dissolve these remains of their meal, and instead, the undigested fur, bones and feathers are compacted into a wet, slimy pellet.
To see the progression as three owlets grow up go to: Owl Family of Triplets Grows Up!
