This is another barn owl cam I watch occasionally. It's a great cam and of course the Barnies are precious. This is the 3rd clutch for Mel and Sydney. Here's some info about them.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/owlceanside

CLUTCH #3 - 2013

ADELAIDE - Hatched 4/7 at 3:12am http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XPTZOJHvDY&feature=youtu.be
Also, Mel meeting Adi at one hour old http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp8FfIZlo4I&feature=youtu.be
Our owlet Adi is named after the state capital of South Australia. Founded in 1836, Adelaide is the 5th-largest city in Australia. In addition, Adelaide as a girl's name is pronounced AD-a-layd. It is of Old German origin, and the meaning of Adelaide is "noble kind". The name was first popular in England after the reign (1830-37) of William IV and Queen Adelaide.
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This year's "Egg Drop Scoop" :

Egg #1 Mar 3 (6:49am)

Egg #2 Mar 5 (9:51am)

Egg #3 Mar 7 (3:56pm)

Egg #4 Mar 10 (10:16am)


Barn owls, Mel (the male) & Sydney (female), are located in Oceanside, California - San Diego County, USA

The Box-builder/owner is originally from Mel(bourne), Downunder (+proud U.S. citizen as well), hence the Aussie names chosen for the first clutch of owlets in 2011.

The relatively warm winter weather in San Diego County always seems to bring the owls into the box much earlier than elsewhere - but we're running a little later than in previous years.

The box has been up since mid-November 2010 and owls moved in two weeks later! This box you now see is v2.1 which replaced the original v1.0 by Christmas after some quick learning and wonderous design ideas with advice from many helpful folks and we re-engineered all the objectives from scratch - see the slide show of construction pictures at melandsydney.blogspot.com/p/owlbox-construction.html

Check back often to see how Mel and Sydney learn to become parents all over again, CAMs will be broadcasting the action as often as possible.

The box is located about 16 feet above ground level. Dimensions - Length 30", Height 18", Width 16" (left-to-right dimension seen on interior camera), Porthole 6" diam. (and about 6" above box floor)

Sorry, no merchandise will be available about Mel & Sydney - my house, my yard, my box, but EVERYBODY'S owls. The gift we get is the privilege of watching these lovely creatures. If you'd like to benefit barn owls or wildlife in general, then make a donation to an organization in your area.

$*$*$*$*$*$ - Mel & Sydney video and audio streaming, internet and wi-fi services, materials, equipment, cameras, power, time, dedication, designs and innovations for the well-being of these wild and free barn owls are all donated solely by the OWNER for the viewing and learning enjoyment of all. Absolutely no payments are made to Ustream, nor is income, revenue, or compensation of any kind received from any organization or entity, advertising, sales, or any other source whatsoever in association with Mel & Sydney Barn Owls of Oceanside, CA.

Look how much they've grown!

Adi and Hunter are just beginning to get to the goofy stage that I love so much. Great timing since the Songbirds have fledged!
This is a well run site with a great blog. http://melandsydney.blogspot.com/

Here is the link to view all 4 cams. The outside cams give us the opportunity to see parents bringing in food and also let us watch the owlets when they begin to go outside. It is much like Roy and Dale's view with inside and outside cams. http://kangarobin.blogspot.com/

So cute all snuggled up asleep.

Adi and Hunter were busy eating this morning and were close to the cam. They look like big white cotton balls.

Just hanging out being Barney Buds.

This is the cutest video of these big chicken owlets! LOL

Scampy Reigns for a day. Video by bb4dandylion

Adi is fascinated watching the flies on the wall. She/he was following them last night when I watched and was still at it this morning. You just can't watch a Barn Owl and not smile. They're just big ole goofy, gentle clowns.

Adi stepped out of the box for the first time and Hunter was half way out! They will be flying in the big blue sky any day now. Adi is 58 days old and Hunter is 56 days old today.
Thanks for the video Emmie!

bb4dandylion caught the first time Adi stepped out of the box. This is a cute one, too!

I found out tonight that the parents, Mel and Sydney, have not been seen for about 4 days now and food has not been plentiful when they were delivering from reading their blog! These two owlets are being feed by the people that own the cam and are not going hungry. I'm always popped out on top of their chat so I don't see what they are talking about and haven't read the blog since before I was on vacation last week. I wonder what happened to the parents? Adi and Hunter will be fledging very soon.
The Cam people do have a plan in place to give Adi and Hunter the best chance to survive that they can. Read about it in their blog.

http://melandsydney.blogspot.com/

Another cute video from Emmie.

Adi is 63 days old today and Hunter is 61 days old. Hunter finally got the nerve up to step outside the box and is having a lot of fun following Adi. He is her shadow.
Here's a cute video Emmie made of their early morning adventures on the playground.

They stayed out past sunrise, crows chased em. They will learn. Hunter out for the day and Adi's first day alone.

Video from bb4dandylion

UPDATE 6-22-13 (FYI - PB stands for prey box)

11:19 kangarobin: There has been absolutely no parental interaction for the last few weeks. The potential nesters I believe are not Mel and Sydney - owlets do not attack the parents as A&H have tandemly reacted to the
11:19 kangarobin: older pair, no food has been delivered, and no tandem flying and hunting has occured.
11:19 kangarobin: It is not nesting season and I have chosen not to permit the box's use no matter who the older pair are... until A&H are fledged and gone.
11:19 kangarobin: Tonight we have lowered the PB even further, and introduced grass bedding to make it more difficult to spot the prey - next stage of hunting lessons.
11:20 kangarobin: Over the last period of PB lessons we will start to cut back on the amount of food and encourage the owlets to start searching for their own wild prey - Mel and Sydney are not here to do any of the
11:20 kangarobin: teaching.
11:20 kangarobin: ***
11:20 kangarobin: unpaused chat - ty

*Adi is 76 days old and Hunter is 74 days old today.

Hunter and Adi update on the blog. http://melandsydney.blogspot.com/

Latest Pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moo-bird/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/violetmoon2/

Mel and Sydney had a date last night! The chatters were reporting that they did IT earlier, too. I caught some of the smooching that was going on and tried out my new movie maker for the first time. Ugh.



If this is indeed Mel and Sydney, like everyone is sure it is, why did they abandon Hunter and Adi when they were so young and still dependent on them? They look healthy so obviously no ill fortune befell them. Really, really strange. Hunter and Adi would not have survived if the cam owners had not fed them. What are your thoughts on this?