Athena, the great horned owl who has made the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center her home for the past 16 years, has returned to her nest for the spring. She laid her first egg on March 5, and just laid a second egg on March 9.
Through a live camera stream operated in partnership with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, anyone can follow along as Athena and her mate raise their young. The infrared-equipped camera, which is mounted ten feet away, captures everything from early-morning incubating to late-night feedings. A word of caution – these are raptors, so their meals often consist of other animals like rabbits, rodents, lizards and even other birds, which can be disturbing to some viewers.
Great horned owls frequently lay two eggs, though there can be as many as four. The eggs are usually laid days apart, and it takes an average of 33 days for the eggs to hatch. That could mean the first owlet could make an appearance on Easter weekend.
Athena’s chosen spot sits high above the entrance to the Center’s Courtyard, nestled inside a built-in planter alongside a sotol plant that provides natural shade and shelter. When eggs hatch and owlets grow brave enough to peer over the rim, visitors get an up-close look at fluffy youngsters stretching and testing their wings.
”It feels like the entire garden wakes up when Athena returns early spring,” said Dr. Sean Griffin, the Center’s science and conservation director. “The combination of blooming wildflowers and growing owlets creates this incredible sense of renewal.”
Athena has become something of an Austin institution. She was named the city’s Official Owl Ambassador in 2025 by Mayor Kirk Watson, and has raised successive broods of owlets in the same nest almost every year.
”Athena has become part of the spring experience at the Wildflower Center,” said Lee Clippard, the Center’s executive director. “What began as a remarkable wildlife moment has grown into a shared tradition.”
For the Cornell Lab, the partnership reflects a broader mission to connect people with the natural world.
”Birds spark a deep wonder, and they help us understand the living world,” said Benjamin Walters, the lab’s bird cams project leader. “Live streaming opens a window into wildlife behavior that few people would ever get to witness firsthand.”
The live cam is available on the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s website.
For those who would like to go visit Athena in person, the Dripping Springs Community Library has day passes that can be checked out. Each one is good for up to four people. Tickets can also be purchased on the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s website at www.wildflower.org.