I think this little guy may have died of hypothermia the night before last during the cold downpour. For the last week this owlet always sat by itself on a different branch about ten yards distant from its siblings, and was not sharing any body heat. The temperature was in the low 30’s with a strong wind off Lake Superior … not a good combination when combined with being soaking wet. I took this photo four days ago in much nicer weather.
While it is remotely possibly that this chick may have taken its first flight and I just can not find the owl, normally during the first week of flight for Great Horned Owls chicks fly only a matter of yards. At night the young owls will almost always be with its siblings if for no other reason food gets delivered by Mom and Dad. I have hiked over to the nesting area five times in the past two days (including sunrise and sunset), and have explored many, many trees in the intermediate area with my binoculars (and the ground including hollow logs in case the owlet had fallen out of the nest). I hope I am wrong, but fear I am not. With the wet weather the two remaining siblings are always sitting up against one another.
I’ve been watching two owlets in a park near me. One disappeared and then reappeared. But today the nest was gone and only one sitting on a branch. No recent sightings of adults. Don’t know what happened.
Was there a major windstorm that knocked down the nest? It’s about time for owlets to fledge, but that does not explain a missing nest. Last year my owlets wrecked their nest … too rambunctious. May have happened in your case. Try listening for the youngster’s begging / screeching right before dawn. Your family may still be in the area.
The surviving two owl chicks have made it through the past 24 hours, which was another cold, wet period. They have barely moved. Both parents are in tall white pines within 200 yards watching over them at 7 am. The sun is supposed to burn through our light fog in another two hours. I think everyone will appreciate the warmth and dryness.
So sad. I was wondering what happened to the third one.
Oh, so sad! I’ve been so cheering for that group of cute triplets. Nature – wonderful, yet harsh.
Thanks for caring. Many people I know care not for the Great H Owls as they are “death on wings” taking so many other birds and animals for food. All are important in Gods sight so we should follow His advise.