Great horned owlet in a tree in Schenley Park on 14 March 2025 (photo by Dana Nesiti)

15 March 2025

The great horned owlet that fell from its nest in Schenley Park and was returned on 11 March was relatively easy to find on Wednesday, posed on a sloping tree branch like a statue (below).

Great horned owlet on a branch, Schenley Park, 12 March 2025 (digiscoped by Kate St. John)

She spent Thursday on an inaccessible cliff ledge — good camouflage! — and on Friday was found in a tree where Dana Nesiti photographed her (at top) on Friday 14 March. Yes, juvenile owls can climb trees and this one is doing well. (Note: Tamarack nicknamed her Muppet in case you hear people calling her by name.)

Mercury and Venus

After sunset on 9 March I noticed a bright planet in the west with a divot out of the top of it like a phase of the moon. It was Venus about to set. How did I live this long without knowing that Venus has phases?

Phases of Venus (diagram from Wikimedia Commons)

When I digiscoped Venus I saw a shadowy planet next to it. Mercury, also about to set. It is pinkish and on the left of Venus whose brightness plays havoc with my optics.

Mercury (probably) and Venus with a divot off the top, 9 March 2025 (digiscoped by Kate St. John)

Here’s a view that shows Venus’ phase a bit better.

Mercury (probably) and Venus, 9 March 2025 (digiscoped by Kate St. John)

Incipient Spring flowers and leaves

Incipient is a good word to describe spring flower and leaf status this week. As of Thursday 13 March spring was “in an initial stage; beginning to happen or develop.”

Common whitlowgrass blooming in Aspinwall, 11 March 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)

Common whitlowgrass (Draba verna), a member of the cabbage family, blooms very early. It is native to Europe, western Asia and North Africa and is now spread around the world.

Honeysuckle leaves were just beginning to open on Thursday.

Incipient honeysuckle leaves in Greenfield, 13 March 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)

And the Cornelian cherry tree near Panther Hollow Lake had a single tiny flower open in the bud.

Incipient Cornelian cherry flowers, Schenley Park, 13 March 2025 (photo by Kate St. John)

After yesterday’s very warm weather everything will be open even more.