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> of =E2=80=9Csomewhere else=E2=80=9D, as forests are bei --001a1145cf96f36714054f1824be Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I agree that the species of small mammal populations which prefer forest drop off when their habitat is removed. But do remember that there are small mammals which don't prefer forests (e.g. Meadow Jumping Mouse). Most of our owls require forest, at least as breeding habitat. However, if there is open habitat nearby, that means that the diversity of prey available is higher, and may offset declines in forest small mammal numbers. I am not an advocate for clear cutting, but I do want folks to understand that even a clear cut (let alone natural open areas) provides opportunity for other species...which provide opportunity for other species...which provide... Randy _________________________________ RF Lauff Way in the boonies of Antigonish County, NS. On 6 May 2017 at 18:52, Donna Crossland <dcrossland@eastlink.ca> wrote: > Thanks to those who shared results of their owl surveys. > > > > Susann Myer=E2=80=99s theory of barred owls not calling before =E2=80=9Cb= reakfast=E2=80=9D is > interesting. I=E2=80=99ve wondered at times, especially when evenings ar= e very > cool, whether they just focus on getting a meal rather than checking out > the =E2=80=98new owls=E2=80=99 being played at roadside. My route in Kou= chibouguac > National Park seemed to always have more owls toward the end of the surve= y > than at the beginning, though habitat remained about the same. Maybe the= y > joined in after filling their bellies. Priorities. > > > > Considering that small mammal populations sharply drop off in clearcuts, > it seems very reasonable to assume that clearcut landscapes would support > much lower numbers of owls, if any. And this ignores the barred owl=E2= =80=99s need > for a hollow tree of roughly 12 =E2=80=9C diameter (if I recall correctly= ). (I=E2=80=99m > aware that barred owls can attempt nesting on the ground when suitable ne= st > trees are not available, but I would question success rates with that > option.) > > > > My route is in Keji, where habitat has been constant. I=E2=80=99ll let y= ou know > my results when I squeeze in a survey this week around the sprinkles and > drizzles. I should have more consistent numbers (though realizing that > there are other variables like naturally fluctuating prey numbers, harsh > winters, etc, that cause rise/declines). I=E2=80=99ve not done the Keji = survey for > the past several years, so I may have to go to BSC in order to compare > numbers from previous years. > > > > It would seem that if we obtain consistently low numbers of barred owls i= n > the clearcut landscapes compared to intact landscapes, then the owl censu= s > data may support what we pretty much already deduce using some common > sense: barred owls and other owl species are forest dwellers and cannot > thrive in the current harvest regime that has overtaken this province. > > > > In my opinion, it=E2=80=99s time to start using *years* of bird data for > something extremely useful: habitat protection, enhancing awareness of > forest harvest impacts on a range of bird species, demanding a silent > period for harvesting during nesting periods, etc. > > > > Donna Crossland > > > > *From:* naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@ > chebucto.ns.ca] *On Behalf Of *James Hirtle > *Sent:* May-05-17 10:35 PM > *To:* naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > *Subject:* Re: [NatureNS] NOS - a great night for ambiance > > > > The three routes that I run have definitely seen habitat removal and > destruction since I started them. Many of the stops when you drive throu= gh > during the day show miles of clearcut the other side of a roadside tree > border. Also, many houses have been built right where my stops are since= I > started. There are also stops where trees had been where owls nested and > they've removed these trees with selective cutting leaving no nest sites > behind. It definitely has had an impact in those areas dropping them fro= m > three species of owls to one or two species and finally to none for the > past two or three years. It is sad to see this. > > > > James R. Hirtle > > LaHave > > > ------------------------------ > > *From:* naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca <naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> on > behalf of Richard Stern <sternrichard@gmail.com> > *Sent:* May 5, 2017 11:26 PM > *To:* NatureNS > *Subject:* Re: [NatureNS] NOS - a great night for ambiance > > > > I have run my owl survey for many years now - nearly always with Bernard > Forsythe - who probably knows more about owls than anyone else in the > Province, and more recently with Rick Whitman as well - an excellent set = of > ears. I nearly always do it in late April, and on a night with light wind= s > - so reasonably comparable conditions.. There has been a steady and > progressive decline in the number and variety of owls, which I rightly or > wrongly ascribe to the increasing amount of clear cutting and logging goi= ng > on there (the South mountain above and behind Falmouth). At a recent BNS > meeting Bob Bancroft showed an alarming slide of a stylized aerial view o= f > the increasing amount of clear cuts in that area over the last few years. > This is not a scientific study, but an n=3D1 personal observation, but I > suspect there's a connection, as there are progressively fewer places in > that area for owls to roost and nest. > > > > On Fri, May 5, 2017 at 5:03 PM, Susann Myers <myerss@eastlink.ca> wrote: > > Like you, Randy, I ran my owl survey last night - my route is at > Earltown. This runs through great habitat, and surveyors have often had > counts of over 20 owls in past years. > > > > Despite the bright half moon and light winds at the start of the survey, = I > wasn't expecting great results on this survey, because winds had been > strong through the day, only becoming light in this location in late > evening. In my experience, the owls don't sit up to do territorial calli= ng > unless they've first had successful hunting in the afternoon and evening, > and they didn't get that in yesterday's winds. > > > > The results bore out this idea. I had only one very brief call from a > Barred Owl in the first seven stops. Then after 11:00 p.m., when winds h= ad > been light for about 3 hours, I began to hear owls. I had five Great > Horned Owls calling in the last 3 stops, two pairs and a single, all givi= ng > quiet contact calls. Also, one Barred Owl flew in after the sec