Owl update

Our three baby owlets are all grown up, out in the world, catching their own dinner, roosting in their own trees, generally being proper grown up owls. There have been a few sightings in nearby locations, but in truth we'll never know exactly where they went.

They dispersed at the end of July. Over the course of four weeks, we watched them emerge from the nest, learn to fly, learn to hunt, get stronger and take off on their own. Since then, it's been kind of quiet - no little owly faces poking out of the nest box by day when they should be asleep, no night time screeching, not even any pellets.

There have been some signs of life, though. I saw what I think was a female twice, I've found female feathers near the nest, and spotted plenty of distinctive chalky-white runny owl poo underneath what could only be described as 5* roosting locations beside the river.

Owl poo on an ash sapling, underneath a popular roosting spot in a riverside willow

Despite expressions of doubt from the experts at Birdwatch Ireland, I have been holding out hope that the mum (Francie) is sitting on a second clutch. That could explain why the first clutch dispersed so quickly (i.e. some new babies hatched, no room at the inn for the adolescents, get out and fend for yourselves, etc).

I got quite excited last sunday when I spotted a smaller-than-adult and sort of owl-shaped bird sitting on the nest box's 'veranda', but on closer inspection it turned out to be a kestrel. Which is also quite cool, but not as cool as an owlet.