The Barred Owl went after one set of squirrels before going after another set without success. Late twilight seems to offer this owl an opportunity to go to various squirrel cavities just after fly out. Tonight it was two cavities, one near the roost site and one a few blocks north. The alarm calls of the squirrels only peaked the owls interest in going after them.

It’s interesting to see the variety of behavior after fly out. Sometimes it is a neighborhood patrol to see where raptors have roosted, other items it going to cavities likely to have birds like Tufted Titmouse or squirrels, and other times it hunts things on the ground. I was hoping to learn some behavioral patterns after fly out, but it seems the behavior changes every night.

The owl quickly went off out of view this evening. Unfortunately, two individuals in a case of Monkey See, Monkey Do, decided to play recordings to attract the owl.

This is exactly why the ABA recommends, “Limit the use of recordings and other audio methods of attracting birds, particularly in heavily birded areas, for species that are rare in the area, and for species that are threatened or endangered.” If everyone in Central Park used recording to attract this owl, it would be run all around the park after fly out each day!

Sadly, without knowing it, Christmas Day was a “Birding Bob Owl” tour. He played calls ten minutes before the normal fly out, causing the bird to return the calls and fly out prematurely. Unfortunately, this prevented all of those watching from seeing the normal stretching routine of the owl. Even with the owl in plain view calls were played repeatedly moving the owl around The Ramble. At one point a high intensity flashlight was shown on the owl, and it quickly flew off.

Bob’s group saw the owl, but not its normal behavior. A friend described these tours as fast food birding, quick and easy but with empty calories.

Luckily, all was not lost this evening. After the show was over, the owl settled down, caught a bird roosting in leaf litter and ate it.

It was a strange evening weather wise. It was near 60 degrees, with high wind gusts and a brief rain shower. The owl had a relaxed fly out, and stayed close to the roost site before giving us the slip.

For about 45 minutes before fly out a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk makes lots of cries from various perches around the owl’s roost. The Barred Owl answers back, just before fly out.