Barred Owl (1 Viewer)

Hi everyone, as my user name states my name is Mandy and while I'm not new here I haven't posted in quite some time. My interest in birds has continued to be strong, in fact it's getting stronger and stronger with each day. Today, I've come here looking for some Barred Owl advice / info.

It all started late last summer / early fall when a large bird kept swooping down in our backyard. We were never able to get a good enough look to say for sure what it was. Fast forward to about a month ago, another large bird (possibly the same one) reappeared again. This time we were able to get a picture of it when it perched on a tree in our yard! It was a Barred Owl.

This Owl had appeared in our yard multiple times before I was able to get this picture, but it hasn't been back since then (at least not that we've seen). I'm very eagerly awaiting it's return, but each night passes with no new sightings. I'm starting to get very discouraged and wonder if it'll ever come back.

Here are some questions that I have if you don't mind answering them...

1- I've read that Barred Owls call out pretty frequently throughout the day. I've yet to hear one. Would this be a sign that this Owl may live far away from my house and that it appearing in my yard was more of a fluke thing?

2- How far do Owls typically travel when hunting? In other words, is it possible that this Owl really lives a mile (give or take) away from my house or is it more realistic that it lives in the general area?

3- This one's really weird... Do Owls generally follow the same time pattern day after day? Example, if the Owl showed up in my yard at about 8:30pm one night would this be the 'normal' time that I can expect it back on other nights?

4- I've read that some people will actually release live rodents in attempts to bait the Owls into their yard. I would NEVER do this, but is there any other more humane way that I can attract an owl into my yard?

Any other info would be appreciated! I'm really starting to become obsessed with Owls!

Here's the picture I got of this beautiful Owl who I've dubbed Olly the Owl. It's grainy because it was taken late at night with very little light.

I am by far no expert but we have a good population of barred owls --more so than any other type of owl. I have a friend that had a nest where two returned each year. They are early nesters and do seem to have a routine. At the barn where I used to board my horses, I commonly heard them at dusk and just past dusk.

Their song is easy to identify ---Who cooks for you Who cooks for you alllllllllll. I love their call.

I'm by no means any expert either, but I'm going to look up more information on Barred Owls to try and educate myself. I recently had a barred owl land in a tree in my back yard as well, and I snapped a couple pictures. He stayed on that branch for probably 10 minutes, and then flew to the side yard and stayed there another 15. Finally he flew back to the back yard, sat there for anotehr 5, and flew off into the woods. That's my experience with this beautiful bird. Good luck to you with your owl "hunting"

God Bless,
Joshua

Seems to be some good info here. http://www.bioweb.uncc.edu/Bierregaard/basics.htm here is the main link http://www.bioweb.uncc.edu/Bierregaard/barred_owls.htm

^Interesting reads . Here's another link with information on Barred Owls.

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Strix_varia.html


God Bless,
Joshua