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man"><STRONG><FONT size=3D5></FONT --20cf3079bc9ec1393f04bd3f2e0b Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 The relationship between Boreal Owls and clearcutting has been studied in Scandinavia. Although I don't remember the details, *some* clearcutting did benefit the birds. This was likely only the case with small clear cuts as the birds are, like most owls, perch and wait hunters...they can exploit the edges of a clear cut, but not deep into it. Clear cuts offer a different prey assemblage, so if forest voles are down (like this year, I'm seeing), meadow voles may be up. Randy _________________________________ RF Lauff Way in the boonies of Antigonish County, NS. On 9 April 2012 01:03, Wayne P. Neily <neilyornis@hotmail.com> wrote: > Hello Pat *et al. > * > You raise an interesting question about the relationship between > Saw-whet Owls and clear-cutting. Certainly it is possible that > regeneration areas are better for them, although to prove or disprove > that, we would likely need better records of habitat change along the > routes than our existing protocols provide. I suspect that the number of > Saw-whets may also vary with the date of the survey, as it is a migratory > species whose phenology in Nova Scotia is not too well known. For example, > it may be that early in the period, we are hearing migrants still on their > way north, or birds attempting to establish territories or attract mates, > while later we hear only those with established territories. I recall one > survey that Dennis Fast and I did in Manitoba where we had about 25-30 > - five times the maximum Saw-whets that we had before or after. I can only > assume that we must have hit a migration wave that year. Over the six-week > survey period, many factors change, and I would encourage Greg to do a > week-by-week analysis of the total numbers per species to see to what > extent that is a factor in the results. > > ** > Wayne P. Neily > Tremont, Kings Co., Nova Scotia > > > "Hast thou named all the birds without a gun? > Loved the wood-rose, and left it on its stalk?" - Ralph Waldo Emerson, > 1847 [Poems: Forbearance] > > > > > > Date: Sun, 8 Apr 2012 16:36:00 -0300 > > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > > From: plchalmers@ns.sympatico.ca > > > Subject: [NatureNS] Owl Survey, Tangier > > > > > > Friday night, with Suzanne Borkowski's help, I surveyed my Nocturnal > > Owl route on the Tangier to Mooseland / Moose River Gold Mines Road, > > on the Eastern Shore. We had been watching the weather and Good > > Friday looked like the only possible chance for this weekend. We saw > > very few birds on the drive down in the afternoon, either on land or > > on the water. We had hoped to see our first Great Blue Heron or > > Osprey of the year, but didn't find either. However we didn't have > > the time to do much searching so probably overlooked some. When we > > got to Tangier we were pleased to see a lot of birds in Pope's > > Harbour; a flock of about 10 Horned Grebes, in patchy breeding > > plumage, was a treat. There was a lively group of about 20 > > Red-breasted Mergansers chasing one another around, and a pair of > > Surf Scoters. Red-winged Blackbirds and Grackles were calling nearby. > > > > The route goes inland through largely coniferous forests with lots > > of rocky lakes and black spruce/tamarack bogs. Northern Fibre's > > woodchip plant is in Sheet Harbour, and there is a lot of active > > forestry here, including biomass harvesting. Every year we notice > > new clearcuts. After scouting out our route we had supper in Sheet > > Harbour and returned to Tangier to begin the survey half an hour > > after sunset. The winds had dropped to less than 10k, as predicted, > > and it was clear and dry. American Woodcock were peenting and > > winnowing overhead at our first stop, and panicky Robins were > > calling. A little while later the moon rose full. Late in the > > evening, when it was absolutely still, we heard a pair of Loons > > duetting from Bear Lake. Nonetheless I was struck by how quiet it > > was for most of our stops; most of the ditches were dry and there was > > no sound of running water. Perhaps because it was drier than usual, > > or perhaps it was just a bit too cool (+2/+3), no Spring Peepers or > > Wood Frogs were calling. I have yet to hear either this year. > > > > However some owls were certainly announcing their presence. At the > > first stop we heard two Northern Saw-whets calling as soon as we got > > out of the car, and we found seven more in the course of the > > evening. There was at least one NSWO at eight of the ten stops, for > > nine in all. We also heard two Great Horned Owls. Most unusually, > > we did not hear a single Barred Owl. This is the tenth year that > > Suzanne and I have run this route, and during that time we have had a > > low of three owls, and a high of 16. Our ten-year average is 8.6, so > > this year's 11 was on the high side. This is the third year in a row > > that we have had a large number of Northern Saw-whets, in fact more > > of them than any other owl. I can see that in some ways, > > clear-cutting produces habitat more favourable to them than to the > > larger owls. Comments, anyone? > > > > Patricia L. Chalmers > > Halifax > > > > > --20cf3079bc9ec1393f04bd3f2e0b Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable The relationship between Boreal Owls and clearcutting has been studied in S= candinavia. Although I don't remember the details, *some* clearcutting = did benefit the birds. This was likely only the case with small clear cuts = as the birds are, like most owls, perch and wait hunters...they can exploit= the edges of a clear cut, but not deep into it. Clear cuts offer a differe= nt prey assemblage, so if forest voles are down (like this year, I'm se= eing), meadow voles may be up.<div> <br></div><div>Randy<br clear=3D"all">_________________________________<br>= RF Lauff<br>Way in the boonies of<br>Antigonish County, NS.<br> <br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On 9 April 2012 01:03, Wayne P. Neily <s= pan dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:neilyornis@hotmail.com">neilyornis@ho= tmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style= =3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"> <div><div dir=3D"ltr"> Hello Pa