home video of barred owls

["Harrold, Eric S" <esharrol@email.uncc.edu>]

Carolinabirders,

Although field observation has just begun for my research project, I've been
blessed to meet several wonderful people who have some very interesting
accounts of Barred Owls on their property.  Last night I had the opportunity
to visit a gentleman off Clanton Road in central Charlotte who had made a
video of 2 young barred owls that chose to inhabit his yard for a period of
about 4 days.  The video contains interesting tidbits such as allopreening
(one bird preening another), a bird hopping around on the ground after what
appeared to be some sort of insect, and a bird using a bicycle for a perch.
Perhaps the most interesting thing is that all of the video was recorded in
"broad daylight".  I wouldn't have expected that much activity during
daylight hours.  Although a broadcast in his backyard did not produce a
response, there is no reason to think that the adults will not use the area
again.  A later broadcast at another site produced a "visual but silent"
response within 20 seconds of beginning the broadcast!!!  What an evening!

Eric Harrold
Charlotte, NC
esharrol@email.uncc.edu