Owls Almost Grown Up

Here is another post by my owl rescue friend.

The photo's a little fuzzy, but they're almost grown up. Grumpy like owls, catch their own food, nosy and curious--into everything in their cage. I left a box of kleenex in there and came back an hour later to find one-inch bits and pieces all over the place, and the three of them tucked away in their box, with a who-me? look about them.

Owlets

My friend who is licensed to rescue birds sends this note and photos:

"Well, these don't look too different if you're not right there to compare them, but they are 48 hours older, have a lot more dark feathering coming in, their eyes are opening more, they can sit up with their feet out in front of them, and they weigh a whole ounce more than before. The consensus seems to be Pygmy owls, but the jury is still out. The adult pygmy owls I've had will eat their weight in food every day, voracious eaters and hunters for such a tiny bundle. These guys are eating a whole mouse plus a dozen mealworms each per day."

Foxes and Other Critters, June 11, 2009

Well before light this morning, as I stood in my yard listening to the dawn chorus of thrushes and purple martins, I saw a little fox flash past me in a blur carrying something quite large in its mouth. Are they hunting on their own now? Then dad appeared and gave his usual warning growls. I can stand staring at him, and even though I tell myself I know this fox is not dangerous to me, his growl, and especially the bark, make me jump and the hair rise on the back of my neck. His bark always hits its mark as I react from my ancient animal roots: a moment of the raw wild inside me.

Here are the little owlets and a comment from their careful handler: "The baby owls turned out to be Screech Owls, which will be about 6 inches tall when fully grown. They're eyes have opened, and I sent this photo along to all their fans because you can see the milky color of the pupil clearly. They can see a little shadow at this point, but are essentially blind. When the milky look starts to clear in a few days, they will imprint, and hopefully I'll have them established in a cage with my permanently disabled Screech Owl, Click, by then. He's missing a wing (had an accident with a car antenna one night). Click will raise them and they'll imprint on him and know they are Screech Owls so when they go out into the world to seek a mate, they'll find the right one. They can sit up on their ankles now, and they squabble, bite each other, sleep in a big fluffy pile, and eat their weight in minced mice daily. Sooooo cute.
Ronnie"

And here is another treat! About six years ago I created interpretive panels for Manchester Beach State Park. My task was to illustrate the Point Arena Mountain Beaver, an endangered subspecies threatened with extinction by cattle grazing, dogs off leash, and human activity crushing their burrow. This small rodent is only very distantly related to a true beaver, and burrows in the ground in dampish areas. I spent hours sitting beside a burrow hole, bundled against the cold night wind, waiting to see one so I could draw it. Alas, I saw none, and had to rely on blurry photos and a very short, fuzzy video. I actually did not do too badly. My drawings on the panels look much like this little animal. Take a look at the drawings on my website: http://www.ericafielder-ecoartist.com/gallery.html

The mountain beaver is thought to be one of the oldest mammals on earth, relatively unchanged for 40 million years. It does not have a fully formed kidney, as mammals do today.

Currently, a researcher is trapping mountain beavers at Manchester to study, so he sent me this photo. This mountain beaver is being handled gently, but firmly, so it does not get hurt. Once studied it is carefully released where it was found.

Erica

Not a Fox This Time, June 6, afternoon

Dear All,

My rescue advisor and Icy Micey source, who has been caring for wounded birds and abandoned chicks for decades and is licensed to do so, sent these words and photos. Unless the bird is too injured to ever heal and fly, she always raises them to be released in the wild.

"These three baby owls ... were found cold and hungry on the ground 48 hours ago. Now fat and sassy, I'm not sure if they are baby Pygmy Owls, which reach a height of 4-5 inches, or Screech Owls which will be about 6-7 inches. I'm leaning toward Pygmy because these tend to be rather boisterous and aggressive, while Screechies tend to be quiet and relaxed. A few feathers and I'll be able to make a decision. They weighed in at 3 ounces tonight; today's special being minced whole mouse topped with sauce of chicken organs and vitamins. I'm running a 5 star restaurant here. They eat every 3-4 hours and I reversed their schedules so they eat during the day and I sleep at night. I'll admit, I'm a little frazzled at the moment, but life here on the edge of the earth is never dull."

Enjoy,

Erica