New project co-director Ken Sobon is moving forward into the breeding season for owls. We don't know if NSWO breed on site, but we have captured them as late as 4 April, likely during spring migration. We have made limited attempts during the late spring, early summer to identify nesting birds, with negative results. BUT this species is opportunistic and considered to be nomadic, nesting where the prey base and other conditions are right, and not necessarily returning to the same nesting area. Habitats on the Reserve could be good for saw-owl breeding in some years.
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| Ken's nest box building team, hoping to entice saw-whet owls! |
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| Drilling the "cavity" entrance |
Ken and his team may be monitoring for years before
actually finding a breeding owl, or it could happen this spring. If he does find a saw-whet it will be the first documented nesting on site. He might also find other cavity nesters using the boxes including Western screech owl, American kestrel, ash-throated flycatcher, northern flying squirrels and ??? Check back to our blog!
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| Ken installing nest box #5 |
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