Prepare space at the top of thy browser for a new bookmark, HumCo. Owl Watch 2017 has commenced. 

Hopefully filling the feathery hole left in local fowl fan’s souls since the stars of the Humboldt Bay Eagle Cam sought more private digs, the Ferndale Owl Cam is the latest easily clicked e-birdwatching option available to folks who don’t want to shell out for a new set of binoculars.

Nestled in the nest of a pair of barn owls who live high up in the Ferndale Music Company’s “Old Steeple,” this latest avian cam — which, honestly, offers far superior video quality than the eagle cam did —  tracks the daily comings, goings and rodent hauls of primary protagonist “Truman” and her as-yet-unnamed mate. Total hoot, for sure. 

What could be more satisfying than up-close-and-personal access to a pair of tyto alba? Barring catastrophe, Truman is about to become a proud mama owl. That! Ferndale Music Company owner Paul Beatie writes in with details.

“Truman laid her first egg on March 25 and is currently sitting on a clutch of six,” Beatie says. “Barn Owl eggs hatch in approximately 30 days, in the order they are laid. Once hatched, owlets spend about eight weeks in the nest developing downy feathers, jostling and screeching for food, and learning to run, jump and pounce, before testing their wings and ultimately fledging the nest in early summer.”

Six eggs! But just so you don’t promise your children they’ll soon have a half-dozen new feathered friends to daily visit with online soon, Beatie reminds us that nature is nature. 

“Owlets that hatch last, especially in larger broods, often don’t survive when they are unable to compete with older, larger siblings. It’s also quite common for one or two eggs to fail,” Beatie says. 

Does your life need the kind of daily intrigue only an owl cam can promise? Then click on over to the Ferndale Owl Cam already! 

Warning: Ferndale Music Company hints on its site that high traffic levels can slow down the video. So let some other kids look at the owls every once in a while. Thanks.