Two in the Bush: Owls Spotted

Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on January 27 2012, by Matt Newman

News for birding fanatics! The owls are making themselves known again at the NYBG, or so recent sightings would suggest. Friend of the Garden Pat Gonzalez informs me that a birdwatching group caught a glimpse of our Great Horned Owls mating (that’s a good sign) in the Forest near the hemlocks, meaning that we may have another small parliament of owls (I maintain that collective nouns are the most fun you can have in language arts) terrorizing our chipmunk population in the near future.

Despite often being year-round residents at the NYBG, we generally see neither hide nor feather of these airborne hunters due to their nocturnal habit–at least up until breeding season when diurnal hunting becomes more common. Having the leaves off the trees at this time of year also makes spotting these raptors more of a cinch. But when a storm toppled the birds’ favorite nesting tree, it made locating them something of a challenge. Seeing the owls going into 2012 has proven a hit-or-miss endeavor for our local birders.

But thanks to Pat, we have absolute confirmation that they’re around and about. She was able to snap a few pictures of one of the owls as it skulked in the branches near the Spicebush Trail:

We’re still figuring out just where the owls are nesting this year, but in the meantime you can rest easy in the knowledge that Debbie Becker’s weekend Bird Walks should be kicked up a few levels on the excitement scale. If you’re looking to check off avian species on your “life list” or just feeling like a new hobby would do you some good, I’m not so gently nudging you toward our Saturday event. Meet up at 11 a.m. near the reflecting pool of the Leon Levy Visitor Center to hit the trails with Debbie–bring your camera, your binoculars, and a solid stock of “ooh” and “ahh” sounds. They will be needed.

Photos courtesy of Patricia Gonzalez.