Baby Great Horned Hooter II

They must be twins - or could I have possibly gotten a photo of the same owl as yesterday but in a different area of the giant Joshua tree?  I don't think so. 

Yesterday, I saw a bundle of fur in the area where I saw this owl.  This morning, I saw the same thing in the area where I found the owl I blipped yesterday.  It doesn't appear that they really moved much from one spot to the other in sixteen hours. 

But boy, are these baby desert Great Horned Owls ever cute!

They are getting pretty big already compared to the size of the baby on  May 9 last year.  If they grow to be full size, they can get to be up to 22 inches (56 cm) tall.  Their parents are rarely seen, probably because they are more nocturnal.  I'm betting that's when most of the big feedings are done. 

This fellow and it's two siblings will be leaving the protection of their perches/nest in this Joshua tree soon.  I'm pretty confident more will be here next year. 

Now I'm hoping that in early June there will be the return of the tiny Elf owls in the tree two doors down. Once a bird finds a good place to nest, they tend to return.  Cross your fingers that Mama Elf thought we were good neighbors!