Barn Owl in Florey - also seen in Belconnen

[martin butterfield <>]

Geoffrey's reference to owl irruptions caused me to recall the invasion of Ottawa by Snowy Owls and 1 Great Grey Owl when we lived there in 1990-91.  One Snowy was apparently so hungry it stole a sandwich from a public servant!  It appears that these irruptions occur after the lemming population has crashed which occurs after the Owl breeding season.  

In contrast HANZAB

1. has the obligatory note that not much is known about Barn Owl movements or breeding but
2. goes on to suggest that irruptions occur when the mouse population is high across a wide area (thus now is a good time for an irruption);
3. breeding is often a response to good food supplies (so perhaps more owls fledged where the plague was bad).

Martin

On Fri, Aug 5, 2011 at 11:54 AM, Geoffrey Dabb <> wrote:

Signs of one of our periodic irruptions perhaps prompted by mouse plague further west

 

From: John Brannan [
Sent: Friday, 5 August 2011 11:11 AM
To: Duncan McCaskill
Cc: canberrabirds
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Barn Owl in Florey - also seen in Belconnen

 

That would be about right. It would've been around 9.30 or so when it left Florey (avec entourage).

John

On 5/08/11 10:12 AM, Duncan McCaskill wrote:

I saw a poor harassed looking Barn Owl in central Belconnen this morning, about 9:45. It was near the Immigration building, and at one stage got trapped in the courtyard, hitting the windows a couple of times. I last saw it being chased eastwards along the Bus Interchange.

 

It was being harassed by magies & ravens. Given the time and direction it is most likely the same one John saw in Florey.

 

Duncan.

On 5 August 2011 09:43, John Brannan <> wrote:

Went out into the park to see what the local Magpies and Currawongs were upset about and found a Barn Owl looking down at me from the outer branches of a young Red Box. Took one look at me and flew off, heading towards Page. Another new one for the GBS chart.

John Brannan

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