[NatureNS] Boreal Birds moving south this winter

Date: Fri, 23 Nov 2007 19:43:47 -0400
From: "Margaret E.Millard" <mmillard@eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
References: <6bpo9r$1hjes@alconsout.srvr.bell.ca>
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

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Sorry No photos as my camera was being repaired.
I found a small charcoal grey creature, not a star-nosed mole....but maybe 
something a bit bigger and blockier. The body was missing, just the head 
from behind the ears out to the snout and the complete digestive system. No 
tail, no feet, no more fur and no mess, to speak of. It was the night I 
heard the sounds I thought might be a  Saw-whet Owl. It was clean as a 
whistle, on my walkway. It was that early morning that I heard a lot of 
cheeping and twittering in the trees very near our house. About 2:30 am.

About  two weeks later, maybe, (a couple weeks ago) we heard the Great 
Horned Owl (pretty sure that is what it was) and in the morning found what 
was I think might be the remains of a Saw-whet Owl. I am not sure.

What we found were 2 crows trying to pull apart the two legs still attached 
to each other.......claws, legs right up to the body (not broken as far as I 
could see) the  bones near cleaned as if they had been cooked, and enough 
tissue to hold them together. A few feathers scattered about, small downy 
ones with a rufus dappling on some of them. Oh, the claws were yellowish in 
colour. Quite heavy and gnarly.

I went back later to see if I could salvage them for painting purposes but 
all was gone.
My husband and I were wondering if this sounds like the remains of owl 
kills. He sees creatures that have met their death, in the woods, and knows 
scat, but he didn't see anything like this. We have foxes here and coyotes. 
We hear them all the time and sightings aren't uncommon. The Lodge keeps 
offering up a menu they can't resist.

Do owls stay together after they mate, like from season to season? Do they 
mate at this time of the year rather than the spring? Is that why I am 
hearing the calling or are they gregarious and I am just becoming more aware 
of them. I used to house sit in Port Joli and I hear owls there all the time 
when it was still mainly that would have been in the spring. I don't hear 
them that often usually here.
Marg Millard,
White Point,
Queens Co.
http://margmillard.ca




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Randy Lauff" <randy.lauff@gmail.com>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Sent: Friday, November 23, 2007 4:41 PM
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Boreal Birds moving south this winter


> Ask away...I'm sure others on this list may be interested and wish to
> contribute, as well. There are a few of us on this list with some 
> expertise
> in dead stuff!
>
> Photos help of course...
>
>
> On 23/11/2007, Margaret E.Millard <mmillard@eastlink.ca> wrote:
>
>> Thank you for the sites. I am exploring them. If you have a bit more time
>> to share, I have a couple more questions. I could ask them back channel 
>> if
>> you would prefer. It is about remains of creatures on or about our 
>> property.
>
>
> Randy
> _________________________________
> RF Lauff
> Way in the boonies of
> Antigonish County, NS.
> 

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