Ontbirders: For the seventh consecutive year, a pair of Barred owls has successfully nested at my property at the southern end of Lake Rosseau in Muskoka, with three young fledged yesterday, (June 3). As of this morning when I left, the three young were still perched in various parts of the nest tree. Flighless at his stage, they are quite capable of hitching around the tree, all the while flapping their wings for balance.
The nest itself is in a natural cavity in a mature sugar maple, and it is of interest to me that the nest tree, which is thought to be between 175 and 200 years old, is located in the middle of my parking area. The tree of course pre-dates the parking area, (and me), by some time. When the birds selected this nest site several years ago, their "decision" was obviously made very early in the season, at which time the nearest humans were probably a half a mile or so away. Since then, they, (at least the adult female), would seem to have become acclimatized to me. She roosts, never more than 100 or 150 feet from the nest tree, calling intermittently all all day,and never flushes, however close I might be at at any given time. (The call by the way, is not the usual 8 syllable vocalization well known to most birders, but a very different one, and one which as far as I can determine, is not too well described in the literature, although I might have missed something. Despite having lived in a Barred owl territory for many years prior to the described nesting, and having become quite familiar with the numerous variations in the Barred owls vocalizations, I have not previously heard this particular call except in the vicinity of an active nest. Incidentally, and I think of interest given the fact that this is not exactly a zoo bird, it might be noted that the nest tree is exactly 52 feet from my front door. John Keenleyside Burlington, Ont. John Keenleyside <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.
