It has been a week since I last posted on the Northern Hawk Owl that has been in the Orillia area since mid-November feeding on Meadow Voles in a field along Monck Road. The farmer left a second-crop of timothy and alfalfa in the field which produced an abundance of seeds for rodents mostly Meadow Voles to feed on this winter. The hawk owl had been feeding on Meadow Voles and was reliable on his favourite perch at the top of a grove of oaks. It was first reported to the bird boards on December 10th and reported, observed and photographed by several people up until last weekend. I thought we had the best situation possible since we had permission from the landowner, the farmer, to be on his land and had a neighbour interested in birds monitoring and reporting on his daily routines. The bird seemed unconcerned about people standing in the field taking photos and watching him with binoculars. Then things went wrong a week ago Friday when there was a steady stream of observers all day standing in the field watching him on his perch. The bird seemed unconcerned and continued to hunt. Some were ordered off the land by a third party. I have a report that he was flying low over a group of people Friday afternoon making several passes low over their heads but without prey. He was seen hunting later that day in a nearby garden at 4:00 p.m. on Friday evening and then reported being found dead near the side of the road with prey in his talons on Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. Photos were taken of the dead owl and his prey and I have been asking to view this photo all week with no success. Yesterday, a friend sent me the photo and its shows a crumpled hawk owl with a Meadow Vole. I have checked the area all week and again today and the Northern Hawk Owl was not seen on all these visits. It appears that this may have happen late Friday evening and that he got too close the the highway on one of his hunting flights. We know that many owls are hit by vehicles and I recorded over 100 road kills from this area of Great Gray Owls back in 2004/5. I think it is safe to assume that the report is correct and the Orillia hawk owl is dead. So it is not worth a trip up to see a Northern Hawk Owl in this area at this time. I have received over 70 emails from you with your views of baiting owls with mice and you all agree that you do not support it. There is no doubt in the minds of MNR Conservation Officers and they have told me they will charge anyone they find doing this under baiting wildlife. I hope that OFO will decide on a policy on this question about feeding owls mice and I am happy to follow any decision they make. I just think it has to be made clear if it is acceptable or not without a special permit. I have had a flock of White-winged Crossbills feeding on cones on the Colorado Blue Spruce on my front lawn for the last two days. I have only seen this species feeding on White Spruce cones in the past. Flocks of Bohemian Waxwings are also common in and around the city. Bob Bowles Orillia, Ontario _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
