Barred Owls (Strix varia) are new arrivals to Vancouver Island, with the first record on the island in 1969. Since then it has become a common owl, in a wide variety of habitats. Barred Owl increases seem to be correlated with the decline in Western Screech-Owls, which have gone from being the most abundant raptor on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, to one of the rarest.
As I write it is just starting to get dark, and I can hear alarm calls from American Robins, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Spotted Towhees and Dark-eyed Juncos - the Barred Owl we photographed for this blog two nights ago is likely back in the yard.
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AuthorsTwo biologists on a beautiful property armed with cameras, smart phones and a marginal knowledge of websites took up the challenge of documenting one species a day on that property. Join along! Posts and photographs by Leah Ramsay and David Fraser (unless otherwise stated); started January 1, 2014. Categories
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