After the snow is gone and before leaves return to the trees, there are baby owls.

For the past two springs, the owls nested low in a familiar tree. This spring, the adults chose a different spot, building higher up where the nest is harder to see. The two owlets have already grown large and left the nest, but they still linger together in the nearby trees.

Part of the fun has been searching for them — catching sight of an owlet shape tucked against the bark or spotting one of the parents nearby. Even the evidence they leave behind has become part of the experience: owl pellets, little bones, and the occasional bunny tail scattered on the ground below.

I’ve only been using my iPhone 17 Pro to get these pictures. Thinking about getting a new DSLR soon, but still weighing the investment.