Here is my second collage.




Mom is sleeping now after her nice meal. Getting dark too.

Dept of the snow is unimaginable!

540 - 544 PM
Ma is up off the eggs; facing us and cheeping for Pa!
It is almost like she is not sure
what to do!



545 PM
Ma flies out of the bowl.


547 PM
Adult returns using the 8 oclock entrance and
starts to egg. Cannot see what the meal is it is
just out of our view.




550 PM
Ma I think leaves the bowl again.

555 PM
Adult returns; does an egg roll; no clear view egg cup is too
deep. I thought Dad returned at first but it is Ma.


6 PM
Mom is off the eggs again; standing beside the egg cup and looking
all around.

The egg cup is deep and nearly looks too narrow to accommodate
two eggs. Ma is quiet and looking all around.





Ma is off the egg again; maybe she feels the snow is insulation enough :dunno:

615 PM
Ma moves over to 6 oclock and starts eating again!
Can hear ripping and tearing but cannot make out
what her meal is; crunchy and ripping sounds heard.



620 PM
Ma leaves the nest again.

Ma returns in two minutes or so; returns to the egg cup
rolls two eggs I think or so it appeared. Then off the egg cup
then on again!



628 PM
Off the eggs again and has flown out of the nest.
I think the egg cup is not wide enough for Ma entire
frame so it is hard for her to protect the egg or eggs
with her entire body!

How heart breaking Ma left then adult returns with a branch



Branch placed at 12 oclock



646 PM
Adult is gone again probably for more nesting materials

653 PM

Adult returns think it was Ma; then Pa flies in with a branch near 6 oclock.
Ma is not on the egg(s) she is standing in front of the egg cup facing us.

Ma is now at the egg cup moving the branch slightly that lays near 12.
Pa has left.

I read this post off the Nest Cams Barn Owl forum...doesn't sound good. I went to the Blackwater site and could not find a post that this person is referring to....

Blackwater has posted that it is believed NCTC's Liberty and Belle have most likely lost their 2 eggs to the storm. I checked very late last night into the morning, and if Belle was on the eggs she was totally buried by the drifts in the nestbowl. By 8am she and the male had broken through the snow, or if they had not been in the nest at all, they moved snow and tried to resit on the eggs. With the snow continuing though, and the high winds blowing the snow, I believe they could not find them or found them frozen. Belle had left the nest, and Liberty flew back in, finding a lone stick which he tried to weave through the snow into the nest. So sad to see him trying to recover and fix his nest. I have seen the nest in person, and am so saddened if they cannot even have 1 egg to hatch this year. When I last looked, the nest was empty, and has been for quite a while now...I am holding onto the slightest hope they can lay just one more egg even

here is a video from the cams web host....showing the egg in its snowy nest with Ma

SNOWY EGG