Date: 5/17/25 5:22 pm From: Alfred Maley <alfredmaley...> Subject: [NHBirds] 36 Barred Owls in Hampstead
Today I did a quick census to the nine occupied Barred Owl nest boxes
(mostly) on Conservation Land in Hampstead. The newer boxes have ceiling
mirrors so I could see, more or less, how many young were present. At least
two were present in all those nest boxes. Adults in “wild” settings tended
to hoot a warning at me; nests by heavily traveled trails provoked no vocal
response.
The male owl in my yard has learned the word “chipmunk” and is working on
the words “all gone”. When he hoots from the crabapple tree by the side of
the house, it’s frighteningly loud inside the house.
At the Sawmill Swamp this morning there were at least two young Hooded
Mergansers that were capable of flight.
