High on the hill

Called in briefly at the park this afternoon, Saturday, 28 February 2015. Yellow tape was put across the entrances to one of the more popular places that these owls like, so you can only get very distant views, if at all, from there now. This is to prevent people from getting closer to the owls and "disturbing" them - though anyone I've seen in the park (except for two people) has been respectful towards the owl. The conservation officers are particularly concerned with the people who get there early in the morning and stay all day, which I'm not interested in doing at all. Also the fact that even if some people leave, others seem to arrive and take their place. Hopefully, everyone will take notice of the closure and not ignore it!

Last time I called in at a local park a couple of days ago, on 26 February 2015, I bumped into friends and we wandered for a while, hoping to see some wildlife and, in particular, the tiny, popcan -sized Northern Pygmy-owl(s). No sign of it/them and so we decided to leave.

We couldn't believe our eyes when this little male (I believe) was spotted, perched high in a tree along the hill that leads out if the park. Half a dozen quick, distant shots and I was ready to leave. It was so cold even though it was only about -9C (windchill -12C)! Another three days and we are supposed to get temperatures just a few degrees above 0C again, which will feel so good.

"Northern Pygmy Owls are 'sit and wait' predators, that hunt mainly by vision, diving down onto prey on the ground and driving the talons into the prey's throat. They will also attack birds in shrubs, crashing into the hapless victims. Most prey is carried off in the feet to feeding sites. Birds are usually plucked before being consumed. They often eat only the brains of birds and the soft abdomen of insects. One of these little owls can carry prey weighing up to 3 times its own weight.

The Northern Pygmy Owl feeds on a wide range of small prey including small mammals, birds, and reptiles and amphibians. Voles make up the bulk of their diet, with birds comprising most of the rest (mainly songbirds, but as large as a California Quail). Other small mammals include shrews, mice, chipmunks, bats, moles, young rabbits, and weasels. Insects may be very important when they are most abundant. Other prey taken are toads, frogs and small lizards and snakes.

During winter, surplus prey is cached in a cavity, often in large quantities. Summer caches are usually much smaller.

Pellets are very small, averaging about 3cm long. They are formed only occasionally as these owls don't consume large amounts of fur, feathers, or bone. The pellets tend to fall apart shortly after ejection." From OwlPages.

www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Glaucidium&species=ca...