Owl Release!

GOOD NEWS! Out of the blue I received a call from my friend Audrey, to tell me that the injured Barred Owl that we delivered to the Owl Foundation Rehabilitation Centre in Niagara Falls last February was recovered and fit for release. The past news about this owl was that it had a permanent vision impairment and was unreleasable. They monitored and reassessed it and determined the vision was fine. I was ecstatic to hear this young owl would have a chance at life in the wild!



Another trip in a cardboard box



On Saturday October 29, two volunteers transported the owl from Niagara to Port Hope in a cardboard box, where it was picked up by Emily, the young woman who had initially found the injured owl in a field near her home in the country. Audrey and I, and some members of Emily’s family joined her at the site where she found the owl. The idea is to release it where it was found since it will know the territory and find food and shelter easily and it might even have a mate around the area.

The location was good, a hay field adjacent to a wooded hill with a marsh and pond at the base of the hill. The whole area is rolling hills with open fields and woodlots with mixed deciduous and fir trees.

The box was positioned not too close to the tree line, to allow the owl to gain height when flying out. It was feisty and trying to get out of the box before it was opened. Once the lid was off, it hesitated looking at us in confusion for a second before exploding out of the box in a flurry of feathers.

 It flew effortlessly over the field and into the woods, disappearing from site within seconds. Immediately, a flock of Blue Jays could be heard harassing the poor owl. A predator in their midst! Soon the jays moved a bit further away until only one was still calling. We assumed the owl must have moved off deeper into the woods to get away from the mob.

Free at last

It was cloudy and cool with the odd drizzle but this week calls for warmer and sunnier weather so hopefully the owl will get his bearings back, resume hunting successfully and find some good roosts before winter settles in. Ultimately it might find a mate and be nesting come February and rear future generations of owls. All we can do is hope.

Even though owls face many challenges, this one has a chance at life again, the journey so far has been bumpy but for now it continues on a good path and for that I am grateful.

Louise

Autumn seeds and fruit

The days are shorter, nights cooler and the chipmunks and squirrels are working non-stop at stocking up their winter caches of food. I’ve been watching a red squirrel zipping up a Black Walnut tree, loosening the nuts, letting them fall to the ground then moving on to the next branch.





After a few minutes he scurries back down and collects the fallen nuts making several trips to his caches. The food has to last till next spring when new foods become available, since red squirrels do not hibernate and need something to eat during those cold snowy months.

There can be several of these caches in a squirrel’s territory, some underground or in tree hollows or in this case a conveniently located tractor shed with a nice gap below the door.






Yep, the shed is right next to the walnut tree, and it is now full of nuts! The squirrel has also dug an exit hole out the back in the dirt floor, in case a quick escape is needed. Since we store the tractor there in the summer only, this is a great place for the cache, away from snow and predators, this is a smart squirrel! I love hearing his chatter and watching his acrobatics in the trees, how can I resist his cuteness!

The chipmunks on the other hand will stay underground all winter and need to store foods in their burrows, which can be quite extensive.

Our whole yard is riddled with these (free lawn aeration!) and we have chipmunks popping up everywhere, chasing each other and scolding from atop all manner of perches. They also love to groom while on these perches, a most adorable creature.

These days, they are busy collecting maple keys which are plentiful, there is no end to the trips they take up the trees, returning with cheeks so stuffed they can hardly run. Of course they also spend a lot of time under the bird feeders, cleaning up the seeds fallen from above.

More plentiful than anything else are the wild grapes. This must be a bounty year for this plant! The vines, draped over fences and trees, are bearing large clusters of blue grapes that are the size of blueberries. Many animals eat these including several species of birds. The grapes will help sustain winter wildlife.



Wild grapes

 Flocks of migrating sparrows and winter seed-eating birds appreciate and depend on the seeds of native grasses. A few years ago I planted 2 native grass species, Little Blue Stem and Big Blue Stem, and 1 non-native ornamental (name escapes me).

 

Big Blue Stem

  
   



Little Blue Stem





Little Blue Stem seedheads



It’s telling that the Juncos and Sparrows eat the seeds of the native grasses but have never touched the seeds of the ornamental non-native grass. If you are planting grasses, chose the native ones if possible, they may not be as showy as some imports but more importantly they will provide winter food for wildlife. They also are adapted to our climate and thrive with little care. The prairie species that I planted are especially well adapted to the dry sandy moraine soil in our yard. An amazing two-thirds of the plant is actually underground, unseen, its long roots extending deep into the soil to find moisture. I never have to water these beautiful plants.

There are plenty of other wild foods such as birch seeds, acorns, berries, cones. All are important for the winter survival of many species.



When possible chose native trees and shrubs that bear fruit or seeds edible by wildlife when doing plantings. These are hardier and easier to care for. You might also get the pleasure of observing wild birds or other species from the comfort of your home, feasting on the bounty in your yard.

Louise