Hello everyone,
If you missed Lynne’s owl talk, you can watch it below. Apologies to anyone who couldn’t get access the talk because we’d hit our Zoom max—we did not anticipate that happening and it won’t next time! If you came to the talk, you’ll find links below to the learning resources mentioned.
And, we have the first Naming & Noticing Community Challenge of the year for you:
Can you learn to identify by sight AND sound the three most common owls in New Hampshire: The barred owl, the great-horned owl, and the Northern saw-whet owl?
There will be a quiz later… ;)
Juvenile saw-whet owl. Photo: Lynne Flaccus
More owl-related resources:
The Cornell Lab’s All About Birds website
NH Fish & Game NH species list
Project Snowstorm: snowy owl research
Elaine Conners Center for Wildlife: A wildlife rehabilitation center in Madison, NH
Join the Chocorua Lake Conservancy and the Cook Memorial Library for “Owls by Zoom,” a presentation on New Hampshire owls by CLC Stewardship Director Lynne Flaccus. Eleven species of owls may be seen in New Hampshire. Some nest here, and others are winter visitors, or pass through in the short term. Depending on the species, they may employ different strategies for hunting, diet, habitat use, and nesting. In spite of that diversity, owls also share some common adaptations, unique to owls, that help them to survive.
Join us to explore what makes an owl an owl, what unique adaptations they have, and who might live in your backyard. We’ll use images and calls to explore the natural history of these “living mousetraps” (even though they eat more than mice!). What are the behavioral and physical adaptations that help them to find food—often in the dark or in low light at night—and survive our northern winters? When and where do they nest? What are some tips for finding owls in your neighborhood?
Like many predators, owls fill an important predator role in forest and field habitats and there are a variety of things we can do to keep them safe and part of local wildlife communities.
Banner image: Juvenile boreal owls. Photo: Lynne Flaccus