Photos by Robyn Lafata
“Mother may I”…“Oh, I don’t know”… think it’s too high…dad where are you’? As this newly fledged barred owl heads into a new world and navigates branches, learning to climb, he turns to his mother as he starts climbing a bit unsteady. As he goes up he looks to his father in the other tree, carefully watching its every move…so precious!
“Don’t look down, don’t look down, oh fuck I looked down”
At least their feet are designed to keep them locked onto the branch. That’s got to alleviate some of the worry about gravity when you have a built in safety harness.
Plus they got those floofy pants
Getting to see fluffy owl legs is one if the best perks of the job!
Like a baby taking its’ first steps, but instead of a faceplant you risk falling from a great height and then to be whisked away by a predator. Discovering the world isn’t without danger for a little owl…
Absolutely adorable photos, thanks for sharing!
If they’re at the branching stage they are pretty safe from a fall, but it does put them closer to many dangers as you said.
Getting down from the nest and then working their way back up is their training to build up muscle for actual flight.
If you didn’t see the post from the other week, they can also rather successfully climb trees as well. The parents also continue to keep an eye on them too.
Owls seem to make pretty good parents.
I’m glad you enjoyed the posts. They were cute pictures and her poems were a nice bonus.
build up muscle
Things i never have in mind when seeing animals in general. It’s not a matter of choice, it’s one of the key elements of being able to survive.
We humans really changed the rules for us.
Yes, I’m sure most of us wouldn’t have to look far too subs someone we know where “survival of the fittest” has definitely not applied. 😄
This post I made about hatching eggs has gone shamefully underrated and taught me a lot.
I used to think a bird picked through the shell and in a minute or 2 it’s out, but hatching is a 24 hour marathon using all the strength the little chick can muster. It’s a battle from day 0 for a bird. They then have 2 months to grow to adulthood and learn to fly and hunt.
Those are some high standards to meet in a very short time!
Not to mention the strict rules some species have in their Nest, with some being in danger of being eaten by their own parents or being thrown out of the
HouseNest by their siblings.Very true! There was a bald eagle cam the other week where the dad decided he didn’t want kids after the fact… 😓
Some animal documentaries have left me in shambles, lol.
Lol I was watching Prehistoric Planet, CGI documentary with David Attenborough about dinosaurs, and the baby pterosaurs were trying to fledge while predators were trying to eat them all and I was so invested in their safety even though I knew they were animated! 😄
Oh. My. GOD.
I am actually dead. This is more floof than I can possibly endure. I need a stuffed animal version of this guy.
The one where it’s looking down and it’s big round bottom is up in the air is the best one to me.
