Azalea visits Lancaster County
October 29, 2009Azalea Visits Middlesex County Again
October 31, 2009To see a very, VERY late hatching of Barn Owls go to www.wvec.com – cameras – falcon cam – Cobb Island
Barn owls have been nesting in the Peregrine hack box on Cobb Island for the past several weeks. The 5 eggs began hatching last week. Will the chicks survive because of this very hatching?? The camera views are hazy but if the light is good you can see the chicks when mom gets up.
13 Comments
Will the Peregrines return since their nest has been used by the Barn Owl?
Direct link to cam
http://www.wvec.com/cams/cobb2.html
Ann
I checked with Shawn Padgett, CCB Research Associate, who monitors the Peregrine activity in the hack tower boxes and he told me that the Peregrines at Cobb Island have been very productive for at least the past 10 years. There have been problems with keeping Great Horned Owls out of the box in the past. Shawn fully expects the Peregrines to return in the Spring of 2010 and produce young again.
what would the average of all 5 even making to fledge ( 8-10 weeks ) ?
Is Cobb in a warmer climate zone being coastal?
Rose – There is so little data on such late hatchings that it is only a guess as to the survival of these barn owl chicks. The islands on the Eastern Shore are usually cooler rather than warmer because of the almost constant winds.
When do barn owls normally lay their eggs? Any idea why she is so late in the year doing this? I hope they all survive.
Thanks for telling us about this. It’s so interesting.
Margy – Normal egg laying in Virginia is March-April. No idea why so late.
are there 2 parents? Never see her leave.
Hi, this morning and now early p.m., the mother has been absent. With all the rain and cooler temperatures plus rather strong winds — not opportune for owls hunting for prey — would you intervene if no adults return to the nest?
I understand that nature should take its course, but aren’t these special circumstances?
julie c – In normal situations we would likely remove the barn owl chicks and introduce into another nest with foster parents. Because this nest is so very late, there are no other nests. Another option would be to take to a rehabilator or Wildlife Center of Virginia. Right now neither of those options are likely because we cannot get to Cobb Island. We are having a major storm. According to the Weather Channel, during the next 3 days waves could get as high as 15 to 20 feet high with the tide 5 feet higher than normal. Cobb Island is right on the Atlantic Ocean and probably will get the worst of this storm. Nature may have to take its course.
My heart is broked…I pray they can hang on long enough to be saved..when was the last time mom was in the nest?
I hope you are safe Azalea..r.i.p. little owls
I am a moderator on a forum that has been watching these owls since they arrived. CCB has been kind enough to put our forum link on the main cam page. If you are interested in more information there has been significant discussion there. Libby also posts on the forum.
http://www.peregrinefalcon-bcaw.net/index.php
Thank you