This has been a very hard winter for owls. Their prey is usually small mammals that make trails and tunnels under the snow; the owls hear them moving, glide down, and pounce. We’ve had deep snow this winter and now there’s a hard crust. Many owls will starve, and many others will show up in rehab centers. 

Many owls have been hanging out near bird feeders, where they might be able to take a red squirrel. Others are hanging out in barn yards, where there might be mice, and along roads where there are some open areas.

We had a Barred Owl eating a rabbit in the driveway - a huge prey for a bird that usually swallows food whole. That behavior, and the fact that the owl kept eating even after it became aware that we were awake (lights on, etc.), showed its desperation. 

Maeve Kim

Jericho Center





> On Mar 5, 2019, at 9:00 PM, EHK Personal <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> 

> On Saturday evening (6:30 pm), I saw 2 bard owls within 3 miles of each other in Leicester, and then on Sunday I saw 4 distinct different bard owls on Route 7 between the north end of Route 7B in Clarendon and South Wallingford (3 within 5-6 miles).  The first siting was at 11:30 AM, and then I saw the same bird and 3 others between 5 and 6 pm.   

> 

> Why so many right now and in such close proximity?

> 

> I also saw a bald eagle preening itself on top of a bare tree in the swamp near the Otter Creek on Route 73, as well as 4 red tails, a coopers and a rough-legged hawk on route 30 on Saturday afternoon.  What a weekend for raptors!!  What a treat!

> 

> Elisabeth Kulas - Sent from my iPad