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------=_Part_11088_20327456.1195164586862 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline The Breeding Bird Atlas project is scheduled to encompass five field seasons. Red-backed Voles, NS's most abundant mammal, apparently cycle in four year intervals...this year, we are at the trough in the cycle which means in two years, we should be at the peak again. There are only a few records listed on the Atlas website for Boreal Owl and only five squares with NSWO confirmed. We should be able to do better than this and the following years will be our best opportunity. For those of you on the South Shore of NS...I've seen some great Boreal(ish) Forest near the shore there...I'd say that Boreals are a distinct possibility there. PE Islanders - There are squares in the northeast which have had singing male Boreals...boxes there would be the easiest way to upgrade the nesting status. For those of you in New Brunswick, you have a wonderful opportunity to document the first nesting of the Eastern Screech Owl in your province, *and * provide data for the Atlas. As some of you know, I have had nest boxes up for about seven years for Boreal and Northern Saw-whet Owls (I was inspired to do this by Harry Brennan of Pictou Co., NS), and have had success over the years. I would be happy to advise folks on installing nest boxes in their areas. Plans for the boxes I use can be found at: http://people.stfx.ca/rlauff/research/nestboxes_files/NestBox1.html I have a couple of recommendations to start with: See if you can get kids involved...Girl Guides, a high school shop class or biology class... ...having said that, it may be easier to work on your own or with one or two others initially...just to get the experience before presenting it to others. Start as soon as possible; adult males often stay here (are less migratory) and are likely to be keeping tabs on cavities in their territories. You could wait until after the Christmas Bird Counts - if you hear a singing male during your survey, it could mean it's claiming that area as its territory...a box or two should go in that vicinity. I recently returned from the 4th World Owl Conference<http://www.worldowlconference.com/>in Groningen, Netherlands. I was overwhelmed by the number of folks (non-biologists) who monitor nest boxes. Normally, these people report their findings to a central authority (e.g. British Trust for Ornithology) or an ornithologist (often the one who bands the chicks). Boreal Owl nest box projects in the many hundreds exist, and one Barn Owl project has many thousands of boxes...I can only salivate at these numbers... If folks do decide to go with an owl box route, I would be happy to give any advice. With your permission, I would like to make periodic visits (with you of course) to your successful boxes (time/cost permitting...). So your efforts could be three-fold positive - 1) a lot of personal satisfaction for you 2) perhaps aid in my research (with your permission of course) 3) document breeding for the Atlas Three friends of mine have already set up boxes in their areas, and all have had success...thanks to Fritz in the Highlands, as well as Steve and Tom in Canso for their help over the years! Please don't hesitate to get in touch with me if you're interested! Feel free to forward this email to anyone or any list in the Maritimes that you feel would benefit; I've only sent this to the Atlas list and NatureNS, since they're the only two I'm on. Randy _________________________________ RF Lauff Way in the boonies of Antigonish County, NS. ------=_Part_11088_20327456.1195164586862 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline <div><font size="4">The Breeding Bird Atlas project is scheduled to encompass five field seasons. Red-backed Voles, NS's most abundant mammal, apparently cycle in four year intervals...this year, we are at the trough in the cycle which means in two years, we should be at the peak again. There are only a few records listed on the Atlas website for Boreal Owl and only five squares with NSWO confirmed. We should be able to do better than this and the following years will be our best opportunity. </font></div> <div> <div><font size="4"></font> </div> <div><font size="4">For those of you on the South Shore of NS...I've seen some great Boreal(ish) Forest near the shore there...I'd say that Boreals are a distinct possibility there.</font></div> <div><font size="4"></font> </div> <div><font size="4">PE Islanders - There are squares in the northeast which have had singing male Boreals...boxes there would be the easiest way to upgrade the nesting status.</font></div></div> <div> <div><font size="4"> </font></div> <div><font size="4">For those of you in New Brunswick, you have a wonderful opportunity to document the first nesting of the Eastern Screech Owl in your province, <em>and</em> provide data for the Atlas.</font></div><font size="4"> </font></div> <div><font size="4">As some of you know, I have had nest boxes up for about seven years for Boreal and Northern Saw-whet Owls (I was inspired to do this by Harry Brennan of Pictou Co., NS), and have had success over the years. I would be happy to advise folks on installing nest boxes in their areas. Plans for the boxes I use can be found at: </font></div> <div><font size="4"> </font></div> <div><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://people.stfx.ca/rlauff/research/nestboxes_files/NestBox1.html" target="_blank"><font size="4">http://people.stfx.ca/rlauff/research/nestboxes_files/NestBox1.html </font></a></div> <div><font size="4"> </font></div> <div><font size="4">I have a couple of recommendations to start with:</font></div> <div><font size="4"> </font></div> <blockquote dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <p><font size="4">See if you can get kids involved...Girl Guides, a high school shop class or biology class...</font></p> <p><font size="4">...having said that, it may be easier to work on your own or with one or two others initially...just to get the experience before presenting it to others.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Start as soon as possible; adult males often stay here (are less migratory) and are likely to be keeping tabs on cavities in their territories.</font></p> <p><font size="4">You could wait until after the Christmas Bird Counts - if you hear a singing male during your survey, it could mean it's claiming that area as its territory...a box or two should go in that vicinity. </font></p></blockquote> <div><font size="4">I recently returned from the </font>4th World Owl Conference<font size="4"> in Groningen, Netherlands. I was overwhelmed by the number of folks (non-biologists) who monitor nest boxes. Normally, these people report their findings to a central authority ( e.g. British Trust for Ornithology) or an ornithologist (often the one who bands the chicks). Boreal Owl nest box projects in the many hundreds exist, and one Barn Owl project has many thousands of boxes...I can only salivate at these numbers... </font></div> <div><font size="4"></font> </div> <div><font size="4">If folks do decide to go with an owl box route, I would be happy to give any advice. With your permission, I would like to make periodic visits (with you of course) to your successful boxes (time/cost permitting...). So your efforts could be three-fold positive - </font></div> <div><font size="4"></font> </div> <blockquote dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <div><font size="4">1) a lot of personal satisfaction for you</font></div> <div><font size="4"></font> </div> <div><font size="4">2) perhaps aid in my research (with your permission of course)</font></div> <div><font size="4"></font> </div> <div><font size="4">3) document breeding for the Atlas</font></div></blockquote> <div><font size="4">Three friends of mine have already set up boxes in their areas, and all have had success...thanks to Fritz in the Highlands, as well as Steve and Tom in Canso for their help over the years!</font></div> <div><font size="4"></font> </div> <div><font size="4"></font> </div> <div><font size="4">Please don't hesitate to get in touch with me if you're interested!</font></div> <div><font size="4">Feel free to forward this email to anyone or any list in the Maritimes that you feel would benefit; I've only sent this to the Atlas list and NatureNS, since they're the only two I'm on.</font> </div> <div><font size="4"><br>Randy<br>_________________________________<br>RF Lauff<br>Way in the boonies of<br>Antigonish County, NS. </font></div> ------=_Part_11088_20327456.1195164586862--
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