Mom accidentally stepped on the littlest owlet this morning. I was watching this video and cringed when I saw it. I hope the little squirt is ok. I took a snip.
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There always seems to be food in the pantry at Savannah nest. Possibly Mom is so protective of her nest that she prefers to fly out for food, provided by Dad. At any rate, the owlets have no complaint, and apparently don't go lacking. Today, they seemed to be enjoying the warm Georgia sunshine.

We've seen the owlets a lot today peeking out from under mom and the oldest one actually sat by her for awhile. I saw one wingersizing! In just a few more days they won't be able to hide under mom anymore. Last night was the first night that I know of where no new food came into the nest. I think the pantry is empty now.
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Wind turbine test targets Skidaway

Posted: February 9, 2015 - 12:11am | Updated: February 9, 2015 - 7:26am
By Mary Landers

Within the next few months, Georgia Power plans to install small-scale wind turbines on Skidaway Island to research the viability of this renewable energy in the Peach State.

The demonstration project calls for up to four turbines, three of them less than 100 feet high at the hub and a fourth about 140 feet at the hub to test higher altitude winds. There will also be a meteorological tower.

The siting of the project at Georgia Power’s preferred coastal site at the University of Georgia’s Skidaway Institute of Oceanography depends on approval by the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents, which will hear about the project at an upcoming board meeting.

“We anticipate that it will be on the agenda for introduction and review on Feb. 11. However, it will not be voted on in this session,” said Georgia Power spokesman John Kraft.

The idea of a wind demonstration project, though not a specific site, was approved by the Georgia Public Service Commission as part of the utility’s 2013 Integrated Resource Plan.

Georgia Power, which is joining forces with Georgia Southern University to study the environmental effect of the turbines, expects to build the turbines before July and remove them in about two years. One year of data collection, evaluation and reporting is anticipated.

The turbines are about 10 kilowatts each, big enough to power a typical home.

“Onshore wind has not been considered a great resource in Georgia, but we did want to conduct a small wind demonstration project to focus on mountain and coastal projects,” Kraft said.

Skidaway Institute of Oceanography was selected after six months of site evaluation. Siting will also occur at a mountain location.

“It is a great fit for a university partnership, potential of wind resource and land availability,” Kraft said.

Some neighbors, particularly in the nearby gated community on Modena Island, are concerned it’s not a great fit for them.

Ben Farmer said he’s worried about the noise and the effect on birds.

“There are bald eagles and wood storks less than 100 meters away,” he said. “There are a lot of smaller birds at nighttime.”

Wildlife biologist Tim Keyes of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said Georgia Power had requested a comment letter from him. He’s currently drafting that letter, which will recommend pre-installation monitoring for several years to look at bird and bat movement on the coast.

“There are certainly concerns with potential bird strikes,” said Keyes, who opposed the installation of a 150-foot donated wind turbine on the north end of Tybee last year, citing bird strikes and a particular concern about endangered piping plovers.

Farmer, who recently completed serving 11 years on the Chatham County Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission, said existing zoning ordinances don’t apply to anything on state-owned land. There’s also a utilities loophole he’s afraid could be exploited in the future to proliferate small-scale turbines.

“Right now there’s nothing in zoning to prevent me (from installing a small-scale turbine) because it’s a utility,” he said.

An inquiry from a Modena neighbor to Robert Sebek, the county zoning administrator, brought this response: "At this point in time, per the Chatham County Zoning Ordinance, because they are not a listed use they are not permitted within the unincorporated County."

But Tom Thomson, executive director of the MPC, also looked into the issue at Farmer’s request.

“We couldn’t find anything specifically that prohibited them,” he said.

That’s also the case with solar panels, although their use is limited in the historic district where guidelines require they must not be visible from the street or lane. Thomson said a bigger limiting factor for turbines in the near future is likely to be cost.

“It’s really expensive per kilowatt to get that infrastructure up and running,” he said.

Mom Savannah had her fill of challenges today. Turn up sound and listen to this video. First she tracks a bald eagle you can hear flying above; then crows get into the action, probably mobbing the bald eagle. Dad hoots in the background. I never knew a GHO's eyes could get so big, and I could swear her head swiveled around 360 degrees several times. She was in full defensive mode!

The Savannah kids are getting big! Today was a nice sunny warm day so Mom left them for a few minutes while she took a break.

Mom has had food stock piled in the nest for 2 days now! When I was watching last night Mom took the longest break I've seen her take since I've been watching. She was gone about 40 minutes which gave me a chance to video the babies. When she came back she tucked them in so sweet.

A rare sight in the pantry in Savannah this morning - a mouse! I'm expecting to see Pee Wee discover it and chug it down whole if Mom doesn't make him share.
Pee Wee is still asleep right now with his sleep mask on.
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I was recording this morning hoping to see Pee Wee go after that mouse when suddenly Mom Savannah went into full defense mode! WOW! She got her scary owl face ON!

Mom Savannah fed her chicks from the piece of prey she'd saved since yesterday. They were hungry and I'm sure she was, too, but she fed both chicks and saved an even smaller piece of what was left to feed them later. She ate none of the food herself. It rained all afternoon and was still raining last night when I stopped watching so I'm sure neither parent could hunt.
While she was feeding the cam operator zoomed in close and gave us a good look at what was going on. I'm fascinated with raptor feet and have read a lot of articles about them so I was thrilled to get a good pic of Mom Savannah's feet showing the spicules that cover the bottom. Spicules are small projections on the bottom of their toes that help them grasp and hang on to prey. Spicules, along with those long, sharp talons are efficient and deadly tools.
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The babies were posing for pictures before Mom flew in with dinner tonight. How much cuter can they get!

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Today, after the rain stopped, the owlet siblings huddled close together for warmth, occasionally preening each other (or picking off bits of food). The younger one finally took refuge under Mom, leaving the older one alone. As a crow came calling his raucous caw above them, both Mom and owlet followed the actions of the crow and clacked their beaks at him. "I'll protect you, Mom."

Snake! It's what's for dinner.
1st Mom flew in with a snake that the oldest owlet grabbed and ate.

It's a banner night in the owl nest in Savannah! DAD and Mom came to the nest again together. Dad handed off a mouse directly to one of the owlets and even though they were beak snapping at him, they grabbed the food. LOL! He left in a flash and mom stayed behind to make sure her baby ate all the food and didn't waste any of it. Mr. Savannah has surprised me twice tonight. I may have to rethink my opinion of him if this keeps up. See the mouse tail hanging out of the owlet's mouth. GULP!
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And...before I could post this scyllabub videoed it and published it! WooHoo!

Isn't it great? They are starting to express their personalities and hopefully we will get to see more of the male GHO. Not to take anything away from the effort to broadcast the bald eagle nest, but I really am enjoying the GHOs.