I knew Alice was due to lay an egg soon since she was staying so close to her nest most of the time. Normally she stops eating for a couple of days before laying an egg, so I was waiting for her to stop eating.
Although she didn't eat two nights ago, she apparently ate a few bites for breakfast after I checked on her. But I still felt she was close to laying.
Last night when we went to bed she was on her window perch hooting to us. But when I got up around 3 AM to use the restroom, Alice was hooting from her nest. I left the lights off, so I didn't see if she was sitting on or near her nest.
When I got up this morning she was in full incubation posture. This means she's squished out flat and wide. I suspected an egg, so I gently put a hand under her breast feathers. Ta-dah! There was an egg!
Last year she took me off guard by laying a second egg after I stopped looking for one, so I'll keep better watch this year.
Since there are no male owls with access to Alice, her eggs are not fertile and won't hatch. I let her sit on them though, since that's what her instincts tell her to do. Also, if I removed her eggs too soon, she might just lay more.
Good job Alice! Enjoy your maternity leave from work.
Congratulations to Alice for her egg, even if it won't hatch. She doesn't know that. And Congratulations to 'mamma' Karla for taking such good care of Alice that she behaves in all the normal ways. Now Iris and Rusty need to get busy and lay the real eggs that are going somewhere.
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