Oh dear! This poor baby barn owl has somehow managed to become separated from his/her mother. From sitting on the tyre of our neighbour's truck, the owlet has flapped, fluttered, and hopped into an old wood pile where it may be safe, but for the fact that there is a hawk and a crow shadowing the fledgling's every move. I was sitting here trying to decide whether or not I should attempt to capture it and take it to the local wildlife centre. But then I came across a website that said baby owls quite frequently fall out of their nests and look helpless but are infact well equipped to look after themselves in these situations. So, I have decided to let nature take it's course.Vinomaker and I for the past several weeks, have been enjoying a glass of wine on the deck every evening at dusk, with the express intent of spotting the pair of barn owls who leave, from the exact same direction each night, on their hunting trips. We have been rewarded with low flybys over the vineyard and even one owl that alighted upon the rollbar of the tractor and glared down the vine rows.
I love barn owls and I hope this particular little guy/gal survives to one day hunt down all of Vinoland's gophers.
