Great Gray Owl reports continue to be received and we now have at least 11 birds involved. They seem to be acting differently than they were back in 1997 and are harder to find. In 97 they would sit in open areas for several days at one time and were easy to find. This year they are found mostly in wooded areas and move around ranging from 3 to 5 km. but return to the same hunting areas. I assume that most have found Meadow Voles since they have remained in our area instead of moving south. They are best seen in the early morning before 8:00 a.m. or in the evening between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. usually sitting on hydro poles, cables, or wires along the road in wooded areas. They are very cautious and move off when there is any human activity. The hwy 12 bird near Mt. Louis Road seems to have dropped off the radar but here are the best locations from reports all received yesterday.
Casino Rama bird (#4) was first seen on December 12th on Mara conc. 12 and sideroad 25 and was still in this area on Dec. 16th but had moved north to Mara/Rama Boundary Road by Dec. 21st and was in this area again on Dec. 24th. On Dec 24th it was seen about 1 km. east of this location at the end of Mara/Rama Boundary Road then back at sideroad 25 on the morning of December 25th. There were no reports this morning for this owl. The owl reported on December 24, 2003 along Division Road between Fairgrounds Road and Uhthoff Line is probably the same owl (#3) that was reported on December 12th along Division Road at Carlyon Line along Uhthoff Trail. It is only two lines west of the original observation. Great Gray Owls seem to be moving around more this year. This one seems to be moving along Division Road between Carlyon Line and Fairgrounds Road. A new report (before 8 a.m.) of a Great Gray Owl (#11) sitting on a hydro pole in a wooded area along Ramara conc. 8 between Mulhy Point Road and Sideroad 20 near the Osprey nesting platform. Take hwy 12 east from Orillia to Mulhy Point Road and turn right then follow this road to the end at conc. 8 then turn left. There are a number of Osprey platforms along this road. Follow this road around via Sideroad 20 to Ramara conc. 7 if you still have not seen the owl. There were 4 Great Gray Owls, a Northern Hawk Owl and two Snowy Owls along conc. 7 at one point during the 1997 owl eruption. There have been no owl reports along conc. 7 so far this year. Good luck if you decide to search for these owls and if you do find an owl in the area could you notify me with an update, Bob Bowles Orillia, Ontario
