News: Owls

[Kinderchick]

Thought folks might be interested in reading.

http://www.nabirding.com/2012/02/16/when-a-snowy-met-the-locals/

Interesting article, Dennis. Thanks!

[bcbird]

The snowy's talons really impress me, at least!
Thanks, Dennis.

[irenekl]

Incredible story & pictures, thanks for sharing!

[photosbydennis]

Thought folks might be interested in reading.

http://www.nabirding.com/2012/02/16/when-a-snowy-met-the-locals/

[Kinderchick]

A Snowy Owl was released back into the wild near Stonewall, Manitoba today, after months of recovery at the Prairie Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. The owl had been hit by a car on Nov. 26, resulting in an injured hip. Stonewall Mayor Ross Thompson released the owl...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD9A1T-BUUQ&feature=youtu.be

[Jazzerkins]

That's absolutely horrible.  Surely there was some other way than killing this poor bird!

[Pam]

This is a story my sister sent me regarding the amazing number of Snowy Owl sightings in the USA this year - including one in Hawaii around American Thanksgiving......she knew we were heading there in January:

http://www.nola.com/pets/index.ssf/2012/01/like_magic_harry_potters_snowy.html

And unfortunately, this is the follow-up story that my husband found in a Hawaii newspaper while we were there:




Hard to believe...and very sad!

[photosbydennis]

Good LUCK Eagle...do send photos 

[eagle63_1999]

Really Dennis?  I am hoping to get down there in a week or so.  Wishing us both good luck on that venture!

[photosbydennis]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...sure thinking about taking a few days off and heading to Kingsville 

[The Peregrine Chick]

Birders setting safety aside to catch rare glimpse of Great Grey Owl, police say
by the Canadian Press / 10 January 2012

Birdwatchers flocking to southwestern Ontario to view a Great Grey Owl are causing provincial police some concerns.Police say the presence of the owl in the Kingsville area has drawn attention from all over the country and the U.S.

Full article & photo: Birders setting safety aside to catch rare glimpse of great grey owl

[Alison]

Owl adopts ducklings born in 30ft-high nest

A tawny owl is acting as surrogate mother to two ducklings born 30ft (9.1m) up a tree after their natural mother laid her eggs in the wrong nest.

Mary Hartley was expecting to see owlets after four eggs appeared in her nest box in Marple Bridge, Stockport. But when she checked a nest box camera she was surprised to find two Mandarin ducklings jumping around inside. Despite the perilous height of the box, Mrs Hartley said they would eventually climb out and "float down".

The bird enthusiast has had owls nesting in her garden for the past 25 years.

'Very caring'

Two owlets, also born in the nest, are being cared for by the mother alongside the two-day-old ducklings. Speaking to the BBC, Mrs Hartley said: "We think that the mandarin duck must have gone into the box - because we have two pairs of mandarins - and laid her eggs and suddenly realised it was the owl box.

"Because when the owl came back she then laid her own eggs in the box - confusion all round."

But even though the ducklings' surrogate mother is a predator, she has shown no sign of aggression towards them.

"She's been very good," Mrs Hartley said. "She's been very caring, although it does confuse her a little when she tries to feed them with meat - because of course they don't like it."

Another mandarin duck has already successfully raised 13 ducklings born in another - albeit empty - owl box in the garden, leading Mrs Hartley to believe the current pair will survive.

"They all managed to jump out of the box on their own as mother calls them," Mrs Hartley added. "And because the box is 30ft up the tree it's quite exciting as she waits at the bottom to see if they can float down and she can take them to the stream."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/8682411.stm

[Alison]

Hoo-Hooo! You Chopped Down Our Home

Reunited owl family a reminder of wildlife laws
By JESSICA GREENE

A pair of baby barn owls accidentally left for dead are on the mend in the South Bay.

The birds, only a couple weeks old, were found on the ground Tuesday in San Jose after a trimming tree company cut down the palm tree where they lived, WildRescue's Rebecca Dmytryk said. The parents flew away.

A passerby spotted the owlets on the side of the road and called rescuers. There were three babies but one died before the rescue effort got in full swing.

Experts at the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley took the birds under their wings for the next few days. They had to rehydrate and feed the babies and get them ready for their final step -- heading back to a place where their parents could take over. They built a box for the owlets and mounted it on a post in the same yard and waited for the parents to come back.

On Friday, they did. The family reunion went well and after a few adjustments to the new nest on Saturday, the family looks to be on their way back to normal. Barn owls are resilient, Dmytryk says, and will be able to make up for the time apart easily. The man who owns the property was happy to help. He said he had no idea owls were living in his palm tree.

Barn owls are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Disturbing them is a federal crime and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife  Service could become involved in an investigation.

The landscaping company hired to do the trimming was surprised to hear they could be in trouble. They had a permit from the city, they told us by phone Saturday night, and said they were doing what they were supposed to do. A representative from the company said the trimmer saw an adult owl fly out when they were knocking the tree down then saw two others fly away so they kept cutting. He said he didn't see any babies, and if he had, he would have taken them for help.

But Dmytryk said the babies are far from ready for flying. "They're like little grapefruits with fuzz on them." While she doubts the tree trimmer's story, she says it serves as a valuable lesson for that company and helps get the word out about the importance of the laws.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local-beat/Whooooo-Cut-Down-Our-Home-90547879.html

[Alison]

Two barred owls, each of whom had been hit by a car, have been taken in by REGI.

Here is one of them; they are such beautiful birds:



http://raptoreducationgroup.blogspot.com/

[Alison]

Injured Great Horned Owl Rescued from Train Tracks

CALGARY - C-Train operator Warren Duclan was pulling into the Bridgeland station for his first morning run on Tuesday when a shadow crossed the tracks. A large bird had swooped down from westbound Memorial Drive and slid under the platform a few feet before him. Duclan instantly put on the brakes and prayed he wouldn't hit the creature.

After apologizing for the delay to his passengers, Duclan climbed under the platform and spotted the two large yellow eyes of an injured female great horned owl peering back at him.

"She was flopping and struggling and trying to get away from me, but I think with the injuries she had, she couldn't get away. She was pretty weak and wet," he said. Duclan wrapped the approximately two-year-old female owl in his blue Calgary Transit vest to keep it warm before bringing her into the train's cab and calling for help.

In a stroke of luck, Calgary Transit supervisor Brian Moreland happened to be on duty. Moreland has spent the last six years volunteering with the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society, a non-profit that rescues and rehabilitates wild animals. He was relieved to see the 1.81-kilogram bird was relatively docile and secure when he met up with Duclan's train downtown.

"I'm fairly certain she was probably hit by a car on Memorial Drive and then flew over into the right-of-way. There have been numerous incidents of owls and birds of prey hit by vehicles in city limits," said Moreland.

The injured owl was taken to the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society for treatment. Her prognosis looks good, said wildlife technician Sara Jordan-McLachlan.

"There is a right-wing fracture, but other than that she looks in pretty good shape. We'll have to do further exams and hopefully we can fix her up," said Jordan-McLachlan.  The rehabilitation society treats and then releases injured birds and small animals. Unfortunately, calls to rescue a wounded owl aren't uncommon in Calgary.  The non-profit group receives one every three weeks or so, said Jordan-McLachlan.

While they have the veterinary staff to offer treatment, the rehabilitation society depends on volunteers to alert it to an animal in need, said Moreland.

"It is always invaluable to have people step up to the plate and help rather than look the other way. He certainly knew what he was doing. It was fantastic for the owl," he said.  

Duclan is just relieved the owl will get the help she requires to return to the wild. "I'm happy she's doing better now and she will hopefully manage to get back her strength and get back to flying soon," he said.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/Train+driver+rescues+wounded/2391155/story.html