So at least one good thing came out of the beech tree coming down from Ike–a barred owl seems to be checking out the hollow tree as a potential home! Not even disturbed by roofers pounding and moving around this morning (he was keeping an eye on them and me). Now if only I can keep the crows from scaring him/her away–they (~8 crows) surrounded the tree and shouted at it, and the owl just went farther into the tree.
Merry Christmas Eve Owl!
Derek Hansford
[Derek Hansford lives on Glenmont near the Wynding and Glenmont intersection]
Liz called today, 12/19/08, to say: Columbia Gas will take a two week holiday break from the gas meter and line work they are doing in the Adena Brook neighborhood.
Sent: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 4:22 pm
I’m thrilled to tell you all that I’ve seen Bald Eagles three times in the last week right behind our house. (We live at 4805 Olentangy Blvd.) Last Wednesday one flew north over the river at the level of our first floor around 9 a.m. Last Monday I saw one perched in a tree near the top on the bike trail side behind our house. A few minutes later a second eagle flew south over the river. The one perched watched the other with interest but no agitation, then followed it five seconds later. A minute later one flew north over the river pretty fast, circled the Cliftons house/bike trail, well above the trees, three times then flew off to the NE. I also saw one in March 2007, flying south over the river, touching the water as he passed our house.
These encounters are simply breathtaking. I don’t think I blinked or breathed for several minutes! They’re bigger than I would have thought. (Jeff and I have only seen them in Maine, out in the wild with no real sense of scale.) I just read that their wing span is 8 feet. The ones I saw were every each of that. The heads of all these eagles were white so that puts them over four years old.
I would love for you to have the same thrill that I’ve had so keep your eyes open, especially over the river.
Happy Birding!
Susie Young
What do the fox eat in the winter? Should we leave food for the fox?
Lisa Fosco responds:
It is not recommended to feed foxes during a normal winter. This species is active year round and should have no problem hunting and foraging on their own. They are so well adapted for winter that they are one of the few Ohio species that have their babies when temperatures are still low (in Canada their whelping dens are commonly iced in).
Another reason that food supplementation is not in their best interest is that they tend to be opportunists. If they are able to rely on a food source, they will adjust their natural feeding habits and will end up eating an unnatural (and therefore less healthy) diet. They also commonly develop a habit of approaching people and tend to spend more time in yards and residential areas, which usually leads to trouble.
So, if the foxes looks healthy, PLEASE LEAVE THEM ALONE, and admire them from a distance. As far as I have seen personally, we have several very healthy families in the ravine.
The exception would be if a fox shows any evidence of fur loss (they are prone to mange) or if they appear ‘slow’ or at all unhealthy.
Hope this helps!
Lisa
Director of Animal Rehabilitation
Ohio Wildlife Center
The Ohio Wildlife Center depends on donations to do their wonderful work. Send your tax deductible donations of any amount to: OWC, 6131 Cook Road, Powell, OH 43065.
