I am now tracking 130 Great Gray Owls in Simcoe County. Most reports are coming in either before 9:00 a.m. or between 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Best areas are 5 on Woodland Avenue, 20 in Muley Point Road, 4 on Division Road, 4 within the City of Orillia near hwy 12, 4 near Casino Rama. This morning I received a telephone call from a friend who picked up a dead one on the side of Rama Road just south of the Casino. This is the 7th Great Gray Owl that has been found dead on the side of roads. The owls seem to be in good conditions as far as finding enough food. This one had a broken upper mandible and a broken neck but no other broken bones.
It looks like a circus event on most evenings on Woodland Ave. and Muley Point Road as many of the residents who usually do not take an interest in birds are visiting these areas to see the owls. They are staying in their cars well back from the owls and enjoying the opportunity. I am concern what will happen if the food supply gets low and the owls become stressed. We are asking motorists to slow down on back roads in these areas and watch for owls hunting at dusk and dawn to prevent any more losses from collisions with cars. Dead owls are from Midland, Coldwater, Rama, hwy 11 and hwy 12. Bob Bowles
