Baby Owlets!!

Last evening when Chris and I came home from dinner with my father-in-law, I heard a very strange noise when I opened my car door. Trying to place the noise, I started out of the garage onto the driveway.

As soon as I stepped out I identified the source. We have a large population of Northern Cardinals that live around our house and they were highly agitated. In fact, I've never heard them put up this kind of racket.

We have two huge Maple trees in our front yard and almost immediately, I saw something move—a baby owl!

Between the darkness, the rain and my rush,
the image turned out fuzzy

Then, as my eyes adjusted to the dark and the rain, I spotted a second baby! I decided it was time to run for the camera.

Back out in the yard, I tried to focus on the two babies and the flash clicked up startling one of the owlets into flight. As I refocused another one that I had not noticed took off—three babies!

The one who remained seemed far more curious than afraid, twisting his/her head around as if trying to get a better look at me and the big black thing in my hands.

"Hey, guys, where ya goin'?! Don't leave me
by myself with this crazy woman standing
in the rain!"

Within minutes the three had regrouped over in some trees in the side yard, however, I was only ever able to get two in a shot.

There are two owlets in the image one on the right that's easy to see
and one on the far left, near the top—see him? He's peeking out
at the camera from behind the vines!

I know there were three for sure. There may have been 4. We never saw them all together as two were rather shy. The babies weren't more than six or seven inches tall. If it's the same type of owls we've seen around before, they're baby Screech owls. 

Needless to say, I'll be finding more reasons to be out in the yard for the next weeks—with camera in hand—on the off chance that I might see them again!