[NatureNS] Barred Owl & nesting boxes

Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2007 09:42:44 -0400
From: David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com>
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Dear All,            Oct 29, 2007
    On Oct 21 (Sunday afternoon) I had an unusual encounter with a 
Barred Owl in woods through which I frequently walk. I took a slightly 
different route than usual because I wanted to pass through a small 
clearing where Hemlock trees had been cut 5-10 years ago so I could 
check for _Ganoderma_.

    As I approached the clearing, the Owl took off, flew across the 
small clearing and landed on the far side facing me (about 30 paces 
away) in full view and facing the sun so every detail was clear. Over a 
period of perhaps 5 minutes I crossed the clearing calling softly at 
intervals while raising me left arm as a way to say 'I see you' and it 
made no reaction until I started waving at a distance of about 10 paces. 
 After a dozen or so waves it swiveled its head twice to the South and 
then flew off to the South.

    In short it was unusually tame and I thought that it might have 
become so after having seen me numerous times (when I had not seen it).

    Yesterday afternoon (Oct 28) I went back to the same clearing, 
turned South to resume the search for _Ganoderma_ and, about 40 paces 
south of the Owl tree, found a south-facing Owl nesting box on a Yellow 
Birch and just SW of this a north-facing smaller box (Pileated WP ?) on 
a Beech tree. They appear to have about 4 years of weathering.

    So I am wondering if the human contact that arises from having used 
a nesting box tends to generate Owls that are less wary of humans.

Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville

   

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