The owlets are getting so big....this is the third year I have watched them...
http://www.ustream.tv/africampottedplantowl
THE POTTED PLANT OWL STORY
The Potted Plant Eagle Owl live stream is a window into the world a pair of wild Spotted Eagle Owls who were forced to nest in a potted plant on the balcony of a Allen and Tracey in Johannesburg South Africa. Developer's greed and the destruction of their natural nesting and feeding habitat has been the backdrop to an amazing story of how these Eagle Owls have adapted to survive and breed in man's harsh environment for the last 4 years.
THE FIGHT TO SAVE THEIR ENVIRONMENT:
Initial attempts to local environmental agencies to stop the developers fell on deaf ears and the trees were felled and the wetland left devastated. Allan and Tracy decided to fight back and with the help of a live camera and Africam.com, started a petition to stop any further development. Within days more than 27 000 people from around the world had signed and they were inundated with emails with people willing to help both financially and with advice. A further case was laid with the Department of Agriculture and Forestry to stop all further work and rehabilitate the wetland.
On the 25th of June 2011 the decision came back and they ruled that all development had to stop with immediate effect. The developer has since put in an application to appeal the decision and again The Eagle Owls need your support to save their natural nesting and feeding habitat from destruction.
Here's a cool article about the Potted Plant Owl on Africam Read Article
Follow the story as it unfolds through Allen and Tracy's Blog
or the Official Potted Plant Owl Facebook Group
Estimated Timeline of Events:
· Nesting - usually end of August.
· Laying of eggs - nesting begins with the laying of the 1st egg. The female then lays another 2 eggs (usually) - each egg is laid approx 48 hours apart. Total estimated time for laying of eggs is approx 7-8 days.
· Incubation period - approx 30 days from the last egg laid.
· Hatching of the eggs - as above - approx 30 days from last egg laid.
· Eyes opened for the first time - approx 12 - 15 days old. Lovely to watch the chicks trying to focus on objects around them.
· Games and curiosity period - once the chicks are bigger (from approx 25 days old), they start moving around a lot more, flapping their wings, playing with objects in the pot, standing on the lip of the pot
· Wing flapping / testing of wings - starts from 33-36 days old
· Chicks flying - Our chicks flying starts anytime from 40 days onwards.
· Fledging - with the location of the nest, the chicks are with us for longer than they would if the nest was low to the ground. We have the chicks for 57+ days from when they are born. In the 2nd year, we had them for over 70 days.
