11/19/21, MBSP: At the T.N.A. owl outing, 2 S.w. O.’s responded to Jim Witter’s device. We also saw and heard G. Horned and Screech. But playing Barred and L. ear. produced nothing.
It’s good Barreds are at least holding their own or even spreading west of the Maumee. But in their quintessential habitat of the swamp forests east of the river they’ve been completely replaced by Great Horns for decades now. Barreds were once the dom. owl sp. at Pearson. There are people still alive who have seen them there, but that was back in the 50s. I have played Barred calls there for years, to no avail. A vol. at Magee, Matt Victoria, remarked when driving past Pearson, “That sure looks like a great place for Barred Owls.” I said, “It’s a pity they never got the memo.” He asked why I suppose there aren’t any there. I said, “Either the woodlot’s too small or the Great Horned presence is too large.” He said in the Syracuse N.Y. area where he was originally from, they inhabited smaller woodlots than Pearson and lived in the same ones as Gr. Horn.’s. I hear wildlife managers out west shoot Barreds infringing on Spot. Owls’ territories. I sure wish they’d catch them and then release them in eastern Lucas county instead.
I have also talked to people who had seen Barn Owls at Pearson. But again that was back in the 50’s, before the horse stables were torn down. Playing Barn calls has only elicited nervous chittering from flying squuirrels.