A few weeks ago I reported a Glimmer of Hope for our Barn Owls. It turns out I was overly optimistic and I felt like I should update the situation.
Significant numbers of Barn Owls have inhabited the area around Farmington Bay for years. Typical of the species, they normally only fly and hunt at night so they’re seldom seen by most folks. But during unusually harsh winters they’re forced to hunt during daytime. This past winter was one that was extremely difficult for them with lots of deep snow that crusted over and many of the local owls perished.
So when a nesting pair, with eggs, was found in an old and apparently unmonitored nest box at Farmington Bay many of us were encouraged.
Photo used by permission – thank you Shyloh.
But on May 11 my good friend Shyloh Robinson reported that the box had fallen from its tree and broken open with predictable and disastrous results. Shyloh spends more time at Farmington Bay and monitors the Barn Owls out there more closely than anyone I know and he reports numerous owl carcasses, likely winter-killed, being found this spring. So the destruction of this nest box at such a crucial time was particularly unfortunate. A new Barn Owl nest box in the general area of this one remains unused.
In the distant past and in my ignorance I always looked forward to being able to see and photograph Barn Owls during extremely cold winters.
In the future I will dread it.
Ron
Note: I’ll be out of town for a few days this week with no computer access and a limited and unreliable cell phone signal so I’ll likely get any comments you may leave (via email) but I won’t be able to respond to them until I return.
Sad news. Hopefully, the Barn Owls population will recover.
Sadly, it is a reminder of how vulnerable these lovely creatures are.
A devastating loss.
Our bird atlas project here in Florida is showing a (predictably) significant drop in Barn Owl populations. Although the data won’t be processed until 2015, the primary suspected cause is loss of habitat. I keep hoping some of my “middle-of-the-night” sorties will produce that wonderfully eerie call.
I am so sorry. I am grateful for the update – but very sad about its content.
Yes, this was a sad discovery. I was heartbroken when I first found it. Good luck, dear feathered friends, for a successful nest next time.