Owlets loving it in the Preserve

Marci Lanois, visiting from LaValle on March 22, sent us these precious photos of the Great Horned Owl family at Willow Creek. Thank you for sharing, Marci, and we hope to see more of your bird photography in the Preserve. 
Paul Noeldner adds these comments, "The owls distinctive 'horned' silhouettes with feather 'ears' can occasionally be seen, roosting in big pines and oaks along the Lakeshore Path. The two mottled brown adults have been seen in parental training mode enticing their two young fluffy white owlets to hop out on limbs, practice stretching their wings, and learn to fly.  Please observe these beautiful owls and other urban wildlife from a respectful distance and stay on the trail to minimize disturbance to their normal behavior and the behavior of their natural food sources."