As we all gear up to celebrate moms on Sunday, a great horned owl mom is doing some celebrating of her own.

The City of Raleigh parks department reports that there is an active great horned owl nest with two owlets at Wilkerson Nature Preserve in north Raleigh, and park visitors can get a peek at the owl family.

The two great horned owlets at Wilkerson Nature Preserve, now seven weeks old, are actively practicing their flying skills by flapping their wings and jumping from branch to branch, a press release says. Their nest tree is conveniently located between the comfort station and the picnic shelter so their antics are visible to park goers.

The best time to view the owlets is after 7 p.m. when mother owl usually flies to the nest tree with food, the release says. The park is open until 8 p.m. during the month of May and it’s a great time to see deer and other nocturnal wildlife as well. Park hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Sundays, from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

You can see the owls with binoculars or spotting scopes from the field near the nest tree. The park office has binoculars to check out for free if you don't have your own. For the best photos of the little guys, park staff suggest using a telephoto lens.

The Wilkerson park office, located at 5229 Awls Haven Drive in north Raleigh, has more information on owls and a bulletin board with photos of the great horned owlets at different ages. They even have a free owl mask-making activity for kids.

To protect the nest and owls, there are a few rules:

The area directly under and around the nest tree has been roped off to protect the owlets and the public;

If you see a young owl on the ground or out of the nest, please report this to the park office immediately. Do not approach or attempt to touch an owl under any circumstances;

All dogs must be leashed and kept away from the area directly around the nest tree or from any owl on the ground; and,

Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) are not permitted to operate at the nature preserve.

The picnic shelter and nature play areas adjacent to the nest site will remain open unless the young owls fall out of the nest or begin to “branch” in this area, the press release says. If this occurs, the areas may be closed off for a short time to ensure the safety of the owls and the public.