Happy Boxing Day, At 6 o'clock in the morning I had the privilege of hearing the THE GREAT HORNED OWLS hooting and tooting back and forth to each other. 18-24 " long and very large with widely spaced ear tufts, white throat, and finely barred underparts. Usually calls with four hoots. Deep forests, open country and wider city parks. The are about to lay their 1-6 eggs, white, laid as early as January in old nest of crow, eagle or hawk. Incubation up to 35 days by female only. Young downy fed by both parents and leave nest 9-10 weeks after hatching.
The superbly adapted nighttime hunter. Keen of eye,acute of ear, and silent on the wing, it is equipped with powerful talons for striking and gripping prey and a sharp hooked beak for tearing flesh from its kill. And thus arrayed, it seems to know no fear. Squirrels, rabbits, skunks, songbirds, geese, hawks, even porcupines --all are fair game for satisfying the HORNED OWL'S enormous appetite. On rare occasions, the bird has even been known to swoop in and attack people wearing fur hats, apparently mistaking the pelts for living prey. If their talons grip your arm the bird may have to be killed. The GREAT HORNED OWL normally carries its catch to a feeding roost --it's dining room-- where it tears the creature into bite-size pieces. The ground beneath the roost is characteristically littered with bones, feathers, and other leftovers from the feast, along with an array of telltale owl pellets. Like HAWKS, which also swallow prey whole or in large chunks, the OWLS regularly regurgitate felty wads of indigestible animal remains --fur, feathers, bones, and the like. Essential for the well-being of the birds,regurgitated pellets are a boon to biologists as well: analysis of their contents has yielded invaluable information on the feeding habits of all the birds of prey. The HOUSE FINCHES were a surprise at the feeder today since I have not seen any for some time. Down on the lake the following birds were sighted: 4 LONG TAILED DUCKS, 3 RED BREASTED & 2 COMMON MERGANSERS, 5 BUFFLEHEADS, 31 GOLDEN EYES. And a little further to the east on the lake a flock of 51 SCAUP. Direction: Take # 440 exit on 401 and take Port of Newcastle Drive towards the lake and drive back to Mill St. and turn south passing by 590 Mill St to the lake and turn east 2-3 km. Markus Lise Newcastle, On _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
