I have now mapped a minimum of 65 Great Gray Owls in Simcoe County. This week in a short 8km drive between 4 -5:30 p.m. (now that the days are getting longer) I watched 15 Great Gray Owls hunt in the fields on the backroads of Ramara twp. I also watched as one of these owls was almost hit by a passing car traveling at high speed on this narrow, snow covered, side road.
However, on a sadder note, we have received reports of 3 dead Great Gray Owls. These deaths appear to be the result of collisions with passing cars. There are probably more owls in Simcoe County that I have been able to track and more dead owls than have been reported. Unfortunately, there will probably be many more deaths from passing cars before the winter is out. We are asking drivers in local media releases to decrease their driving speeds and become more aware of the owls in these areas. The owls are unfamiliar with the heavy traffic and are intent on listening to and watching their prey (meadow voles) as their hunting path takes them across roadways. They fly with their heads down and their facial discs directed towards the ground listening for and watching for movement from the voles. If you come to view the owls drive slowly and spread the word to passing motorists since we do not want to lose any more owls. The best area to view the owls is east of Orillia starting at Uptergrove on hwy 12 and going south on Plum Point Road (2 owls). Turn east (left) on conc. 10 of Ramara and follow it to Muley Point Road (one owl). Go south on Muley Point Road (two owls) to where it tees at conc. 8 of Ramara. Turn right (west) and go pass Bonnie Beach Road to the dead end (several owls in this area). Return to Muley Point Road and go east on conc. 8 to sideroad 20 (several owls in this area). Go south on sideroad 20 to conc. 7 of Ramara. Turn left (east) and conc. 7 and follow it back to hwy 12 (5 owls). Owls on conc. 7 at Glenrest Beach sign and Louis Lane. You can also observe a number of owls south of City of Orillia at Woodland Avenue off Memorial Drive (1st exit off hwy 11 for Orillia). Go south on Woodland Avenue to Moon Point Road (owls and wild turkeys in field) and follow Maplewood Pwky. along the lakeshore to Line 15 of Oro-Medonte. Take Line 15 north back to hwy 11. Owls along Ln 15 in wet swamp areas with lots of weeds and grasses (seeds are food for meadow voles) seen above the snow. Bob Bowles Orillia, Ontario
