SEASON of the BARRED OWLS nesting in the back yard - NOW gearing up for 2026


Regarding their talons, I rescued a Saw Whet owl that had been hit by a car one night in Sedgwick. I called dispatch and arranged to hand the bird off to a Warden in Blue Hill. I hopped in the truck with him for a few minutes while I handed over the owl and he took my contact info. He told me that once he had a Great Horned Owl in the passenger footwell of his truck while driving it to a bird rescue place. Apparently the bird came to its senses as he was driving, took umbrage at its situation, and sunk the talons of both feet into the Warden's calf, which subsequently made for some interesting driving until he got control of things.
 
@x39 i used 2 have a pair of saw whet owls that would winter over by me. Saw them every year around Christmas. Id park on my dirt road and just listen to their peeps and watch them if I was lucky. Then one got killed on the roadway. Apparently they mate for life, because i never saw the other owl again. I figured it just went aimlessly searching for its mate.

Saw my first barn owl last week! Seen quite a few barred, great horned, screech and long/short eared,even a snowy. But never a barn, or great grey.
 
Hi Larry - Nothing here either. I have seen and heard the owls flying into the woods but they are not hanging around our box this year.
Near by but no occupancy in my new box. Honestly, though I have been hopeful, it is more likely that it will be a 5 or 6 years, maybe longer,
before they choose to occupy a new box. By nature they nest in dead trees - our boxes aren't DEAD enough just yet. :(

The first time they used my old box was after seasons of nesting squirrels, raccoons, and honey bees had occupied it. By this time last year
the old box was so decrepit I only needed to give it a light shove off the tree. It fell to the ground filled with gross debris and was
all rotten wood.

I hope they don't wait so long to take over the new boxes. :rolleyes:

So - season 2025 - will consist of me hunting to find their nest in the woods. They will have certainly laid their eggs by now - maybe even have some hatchlings.
More as/if it happens.
 
Date on this photo shows November 10, 2025. I was driving down a street that was dark. I passed this owl a did a u turn and went back. It did not appeared injured but I think it was just warming itself on the warm concrete on a cool day. I was able to nudge it and it flew off finally. I do not know what type of owl it is.
20251110_193020.jpg

GOD Bless you and your families

Kenneth
 
LOOKS LIKE A BARRED OWL. COULD HAVE BEEN STUNNED BY A MOTOR VEHICLE. WE GOT A SMALL PARROT THAT WAY THIRTY YEARS AGO WHEN WE LIVED IN THE CITY- STANDING IN THE STREET GUTTER. AN ON-LOOKER SAID IT HAD BEEN HIT BY A BUS WINDOW. NASTY LITTLE CRITTER - ALWAYS WANTED TO NIP - US; CATS; DOG; RABBIT. WE GAVE IT TO THE CLEVELAND ZOO.
 
Barred owls are my favorite. We live in a vast swamp in the Florida panhandle and they are very common. I see them often under the yard lights. I think they must be eating the toads that are eating the insects attracted by the lights. My son even had one take down his drone several years ago.

I love listening to them on summer nights. They sound like a troop of monkeys going back and forth. If you go through the pellets you can become an expert on the small mammals in you area.
 
Black Beret Chickadee said:
An early season casualty :( ~

View attachment 2261849

No idea what did it in. No sign of bodily injury. Might have been avian influenza.

BTW - I wore nitrile gloves to handle it as I looked for signs of injury.
Click to expand...

Sadly, there is a worrisome die off of birds in quite a few habitats here in NJ. Cleanup of the corpses is hampered by deep snow and thin ice. Keeping the contamination out of the food chain is next to impossible.


2/21 Update:
Almost all the reports were for Canada geese, with a few reports of other bird species, including brant geese along the coast, according to the DEP. Testing on the brants came back negative for bird flu, which likely means the cold weather and lack of food could be the actual cause of death.

Read More: NJ wildlife officials investigate over 1,000 geese deaths | https://wpst.com/ixp/385/p/new-jersey-geese-deaths/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
 
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Here is today's sighting. I was alerted by the agitated crows as I went out to start my snow blowing chores this morning. This owl was totally unperturbed by the crows OR by my running the snow blower directly under. The sun just felt too good to let the rest of the world spoil its reverie. 🥰 It is still there 3 hours later. (Actually until just after 1PM and I first saw it before 8:30)

Maybe we will have a full nesting box this season after all.


Barred Owl 2026.jpeg
 
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I love it! Watching the Cornell Live owl cam was one of my wife's favorite pastimes this time of year. It would be streaming as she designed someone's next great
kitchen, bath or other unique and special room. I hope to see another pair at our nesting box in the next season or so. Apparently not this year, though I hear them every night.
Just need to let the owl box rot a bit more to suit them. :)
 
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