Dinner Time

It is well known Mahogany Hammock in the Everglades has a resident pair of barred owls. And I've seen barred owls there every year I've visited. Some years adults, some years chicks. This year I saw both.

As I was heading to the trail head I met a couple who told me that owl chicks awaited. "Just look for the guy with the big camera," they told me. So I did. And I found him, camera aimed at a hole in the tree. "Two owl chicks in the hole up there, they pop up every once and a while." So I aimed my camera and waited.

And the waiting paid off with these two curious chicks, looking down at us looking up at them. 

As we were watching we heard the "who cooks for you" call, and not long after mom showed up with dinner.

We learned that dad had caught the rodent, and given it to mom after calling. Then mom flew by the nest before landing on a branch high above. She took stock of our small group watching the nest. Once confident we posed no threat, she flew down and into the nest hole, the chicks disappearing down in it with her.

And here's mom after dinner, (she needs to wipe her beak). She took one more look at us and was off.

And then so was I. Until next year.