[NatureNS] Owling in Cape Breton, May 14

From: Susann Myers <myerss@eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Thu, 15 May 2014 21:19:26 -0300
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With a very promising forecast for last night (balmy spring day, light =
winds throughout afternoon and evening, and full moon), I took some =
vacation leave and dashed down to Cape Breton yesterday afternoon, to =
run my owl survey on the Salmon River Road in CBRM, with the skilled =
assistance of John MacInnis.  This was the first warm day of the spring =
in Cape Breton, and the first night of light winds in weeks.  Owls had =
had little previous opportunity to advertise territorial boundaries, and =
were very vocal last night.

We heard a total of 31 owls (24 Barreds, 2 Great Horneds and 5 Northern =
Saw-whets), 8 American Woodcock and 6 Wilson's Snipe in the 10 stops.  =
19 of the 31 owls were heard in the initial 2-minute silence. This is =
not a record for this route, since I once heard 33 owls there on a =
similar calm full-moon night in May.  Counts have been much lower on =
less perfect nights, though.
  =20
The temperature fell from +6 degrees C at the start of the survey to -1 =
at the end, but owls were still calling at the last stop.  The sky was =
mostly overcast at the start, but became mostly clear by the third stop.

Laura Saunders ran a survey on another route near the Mira River in Cape =
Breton last night, along the Broughton Road, and heard a total of 18 =
owls.  The previous maximum count for that route was about 6 owls, =
although I haven't checked the records.

It was a magical night for owling!  We can't count on getting such =
perfect conditions, even once every few years.  I wish that everyone =
interested in owls could experience a night like this one.

Cheers,
Susann Myers
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<DIV><FONT face=3DCalibri>With a very promising forecast for last night =
(balmy=20
spring day, light winds throughout afternoon and evening, and full =
moon), I took=20
some vacation leave and dashed down to Cape Breton yesterday afternoon, =
to run=20
my owl survey on the Salmon River Road in CBRM, with the skilled =
assistance of=20
John MacInnis.&nbsp; This was the first&nbsp;warm day of the spring in =
Cape=20
Breton, and the first night of light winds in weeks.&nbsp; Owls had had =
little=20
previous opportunity to&nbsp;advertise territorial boundaries, and were =
very=20
vocal last night.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DCalibri>We heard a total of 31 owls (24 Barreds, 2 =
Great Horneds=20
and 5 Northern Saw-whets), 8 American Woodcock and 6 Wilson's Snipe in =
the 10=20
stops.&nbsp; 19 of the 31 owls were heard in the initial 2-minute=20
silence.&nbsp;This is not a record for this route, since I once heard 33 =
owls=20
there on a similar calm full-moon night in May.&nbsp; Counts have been =
much=20
lower on less perfect nights, though.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DCalibri>&nbsp;&nbsp; </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DCalibri>The temperature fell from +6 degrees C at the =
start of=20
the survey to -1 at the end, but owls were still calling at the last =
stop.&nbsp;=20
The sky was mostly overcast at the start, but became mostly clear by the =
third=20
stop.</FONT></DIV></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=3DCalibri></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DCalibri>Laura Saunders ran a survey on another route =
near the=20
Mira River in Cape Breton last night, along the Broughton Road, and =
heard a=20
total of 18 owls.&nbsp; The previous maximum count for that route was =
about 6=20
owls, although I haven't checked the records.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DCalibri></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DCalibri>It was a magical night for owling!&nbsp; We =
can't count=20
on getting such perfect conditions, even once every few years.&nbsp; I =
wish that=20
everyone interested in owls could experience a night like this =
one.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DCalibri></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DCalibri>Cheers,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DCalibri>Susann Myers</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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