I have never had luck finding owls before but it seems like I've had a bit of luck during the last month. After I saw the Great Gray Owl on February 11, I was lucky enough to see 2 more species of owls.
On the weekend of the Great Backyard Bird Count, we saw this Northern Hawk Owl that had been previously reported. Northern Hawk Owls are around 16 inches long. Their range covers the Boreal Forest and they perch on treetops or poles to detect prey (small mammals like mice and voles) They are probably the most commonly observed owl in our region because they often hunt during the day. Here is a cropped photo from very far away.
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| Northern Hawk Owl / Chouette épervière Near Porquis Junction (19 February 2017) |
Yesterday, March 11, we decided to go for a walk and found this Barred Owl resting in a tree. I had never seen a Barred Owl before and I don't think they are very common in Cochrane District. In fact, I believe it was only the second report of a Barred Owl in our district according to eBird. Barred Owls are around 21 inches long and they are mostly nocturnal, making them more difficult to observe. Their habitat of choice is mature forest of mixed deciduous and evergreens.
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| Barred Owl / Chouette rayée South Porcupine Area (11 March 2017) |
Having a point and shoot camera with a 60X zoom really helps getting photos without disturbing the resting owls. I was able to get a couple of shots without going near. It's important to remember that owls need all their energy to hunt prey to survive and it is unwise to stress them for photos. I am happy when I can observe or photograph a bird without it being disturbed by my presence so I limit my time at the site. We turned around instead of continuing on the trail so that it could go on resting or hunting.
