Moderator: E.J. Peiker

All times are UTC-05:00

  
« Previous topic | Next topic »  
Reply to topic  
 First unread post  | 21 posts | 
by OntPhoto on Thu Feb 11, 2021 8:04 am
User avatar
OntPhoto
Forum Contributor
Posts: 7039
Joined: 9 Dec 2006
Location: Ottawa, Ontario. Canada.
hullyjr wrote:Maybe the recent cold weather is pushing owls further south? I've seen reports of Boreal Owls in Minnesota and one persists in downtown Montreal.

I'm heading up to Sax-Zim Bog at the end of this week. Fortunately, I photographed Boreal during their last big USA irruption in 2013.

But I'm not looking forward to the very cold weather!

Jim
The boreal owl is near Montreal on the south shore.  Location can be founbd on eBird. There is one in Ottawa too but is being kept quiet (this from a reliable source).  In eastern Ontario, I have not seen too many reports of great gray owl this winter.  That can be attributed to a number of factors including the pandemic lockdown discouraging travel so less searching by people, some withholding of sightings or maybe the typical 4-year cycle will be interrupted by a 5-year cycle and the irruption will occur next winter.  This has happened occasionally in the past several decades.  Time will tell.

I am aware that there have been a few great gray owls being reported although not to eBird.  Same with northern hawk owl.  I know of 3 but have been informed there are at least 5 in or near Ottawa.  I plan to go see my second one soon.  I did not get to see the one in the east end of town but it's likely still around.  Someone mentioned there are actually 2 NHOW there.  Pretty much you have to know someone who will share. 

Someone over on the Quebec side across the river from Ottawa has searched a lot of the old familiar places and found zero great gray owls so far. I mentioned a couple of other spots he can look at.  It just may be that the 4-year cycle for great gray owl irruptions will be 5-years this time.  If yes, it is normal to see a smattering of great gray owls the winter preceeding or following an irruption winter.  This may partially explain why so few sightings have been reported this winter. 
 

Display posts from previous:  Sort by:  
21 posts | 
  

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group