we are experiencing a high number of Barred Owls as well with one of our
lowest snow totals. There just seems to be an irruption this year. More
competition.

Justin Lawson
Southbridge, Massachusetts
https://ebird.org/profile/Mjk3MjE3

On Wed, Mar 6, 2019, 9:08 AM Maeve Kim <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> 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
>