R: Middle Owlet, Eldest Owlet, Youngest Owlet.
Today I returned to Mill Valley, as I had originally planned to stop and look for the Spotted Owl(s) I know there before I had to meet up at Tennessee Valley for the NPS Owl Prowl program I was supporting last Saturday night. But due to the Roving Ranger program over at Sunset Dunes / Ocean Beach that day, I ended up with no time to do that. So today was a make-up day.
Did I find any Spotted Owls? Nope. Saw what looked like it must be The Nest this year, but I didn’t see any Owl in there. Hm! Ah well. You can’t have it all.
Then I headed to GG Park. I’d seen an iNat observation of THREE Great Horned Owlets over at Lloyd Lake. And Ren had also told me she’d heard hooting over there. So I decided to go take a look-see. It has been FOREVER since I’ve been over there.
Okokok, so I’m just going to say this right now. This post has an INSANE number of GHO photos. I am not apologizing. I am just preparing you.
I got to the spot West of Lloyd Lake, where I’d heard/seen a GHO some years ago. And I looked for eucs with horizontal branches, which was the photo of them on iNat. But I was also looking at the ground, and I found PELLET PIECES under a Monterey Cypress.
And sure enough, an adult GHO was just above the pellet pieces! Kept looking for the Owlets. Didn’t look like any were in the Cypress. And they seemed young enough that they were likely still in a euc somewhere. I was taking photos of the adult when it opened its mouth real wide. PELLET INCOMING! Got to watch it hack up a pellet, and two people walking nearby took notice.
They asked me if it was an Owl. And I told them some of the basics. A woman walking by also stopped to see and listen to me. And the woman from the couple thanked me for sharing a bit of what I knew. She said it made the experience so much more meaningful. To have some context and information about the Owl. So my GG Park Owl Docent work was done!
The GHO was facing North, so I headed that way as the rest of the folks went on theirs.
And sure enough, I FOUND THE NEST. It was at the top of a large euc trunk. Right in the Disc Golf Course. With tons of whitewash scat on the North side. And a good amount of what looked like Agaricus mushrooms of notable size surrounding the euc, as well.
A super small fuzzball head was slightly visible in the nest. I kept angling to see better in there, and the Owlet started to extend its head up to see ME better! It soon moved up to peer out at me. And then, THERE WAS ANOTHER.
Two Owlets were now imprint-staring at me! When not getting out of the way of solo Disc Golfers, I just tooks loads of photos and kept trying to find the best sightline in there. And then, THERE WAS ANOTHER.
I started taking some videos, and then the THIRD Owlet hopped up into view!! This Owlet seemed largest and was able to hop-fly up out of the nest. And so it became clear who was Eldest, Middle, and Youngest. Middle Owlet and Youngest Owlet was the most interested in me.
Eventually, one by one, they all branched out of the nest. There’s a PERFECT branch walkway that extends from the nest, so they’ve got it made. It was pretty adorable to see the oldest two snuggle a bit. It was chilly with the fog starting to roll in. And they must be used to using each other for warmth.
At some point, Youngest Owlet finally started branching out. Then going back in. Then coming out again. But it did come out and stay out, and it was so great to see all THREE of them. The oldest ones really started stretching their wings and legs and looked like they so wanted to be able to fly. The Youngest was very hesitant but wanted to be like the older ones.
The GHO parents started duet-hooting somewhere in there, and it was fun to watch Youngest Owlet react the most. Never did see Ma Owl, but she was definitely a couple of trees over. Near Pa Owl. Guess these Owlets are pretty well hidden from Common Ravens then?
I was absolutely not dressed for the chilly SF weather and had not prepared for eating dinner in the field, so I had to head out. Though I SO WISHED I could’ve stayed until sunset to watch one of the GHO parents come in with breakfast!
So, yeah. No Spotted Owl. Might need more intel from my NPS connection. But having seen an entire Great Horned Owl family (two adults and two Owlets) over in Tennessee Valley on Saturday night, plus an evening with this GHO family in my neck of the woods, I ain’t complaining. NOT AT ALL.
