Owls from Windsor to Peterborough

by Erin, Suzanne, Kerwin, John, Caroline, Rosvita, Paul, George, Dave
(Windsor, London, Strathroy area, Hensall, Elmira, Kitchener, MacTier, Toronto, Peterborough )

We have received numerous reports of Owl sightings from Windsor to Peterborough, here are some of the most recent ...

One of our readers from Windsor said ... I've seen a large population of Owls in Optimist Park right near the Optimist Park Community Center and the new library. The Owls were small in size but large in number. I see them every night when I walk home. I believe they are Screech Owls after looking at pictures just because all the owls are small and don't seem to have and pointed brows that I could see, but I'm no expert.

Erin from London wrote ... A couple of weeks ago we noticed hairballs in our pool cabana ... and this evening while we were playing outside with our daughter, I discovered it sitting in the eaves, staring at us. From the hairballs and the poop, I’d say it’s been living here for at least a couple of weeks if not all winter!

Suzanne from London wrote ... I was cleaning off the snow on my car on Feb 1st, around 10:30 pm when I heard loud wings flapping. I looked up and saw a big beautiful white owl with brown and black on the wings and head fly by. It was a gorgeous sight and a very large owl. Looked like a Barn Owl. The wing span was long. Definitely didn't have a camera handy. Wish I did.

Kerwin had an owl sighting ... Saw a Snowy Owl sitting on Strathroy sign on highway 402.

John J from wrote ... a few days ago, walking through a large grassy clearing in a forest in Hensall, Ontario, I disturbed what I'm fairly certain was a Barred Owl. It exploded out of the grass a few feet in front of me, and looking at its back as it flapped upwards, I initially thought it was a grouse, but as it turned, I saw its face at an angle and realized it was an owl! This was my second ever owl sighting. It's worth noting I observed a black-billed cuckoo in this same area, this past spring! Also a first for me!

Caroline from Elmira said ... I live in Woolwich Township. I'm an amateur photographer and after 3 years of trying to find an owl in the wild to photograph I came across this beauty! He seemed to pose for for the pictures and smile in some of them! Even though it was freezing out I spent about an hour just enjoying my good fortune in being able to be in the presence of one of natures most majestic creatures!

A reader from Kitchener wrote ... we have been hearing an owl hooting. The first few times it was early in the morning before daybreak and quite close, but last night it was about midnight and further away. We live on the 12th floor of an apartment building in Kitchener. So far we have not seen it. Wondering why it is hooting in the night?

One of our readers from Mactier said ... it has been sitting in our beech tree for the last couple of weeks. I’m sure it’s looking for mice at our bird feeder in the evening. Got some pictures of it and that it comes every night. It sits about 15’ off the deck and just watches us. So cool.

Another reader said ... I have been putting out peanuts for our Blue Jays. Recently I added some dry dog food which they love. It is dark here right now and when I opened the door to let out my dog there was a very loud flutter of wings that seemed to becoming from the patio table where I feed the Jays. Could it have been an owl attracted to the dog food?

From the Toronto Beaches, Rosvita wrote ... It was very cold on January 20th at around 11:30 am. I heard a loud landing in the bushes and trees next door and could not believe my eyes when I saw an owl. It sat there for about 5 minutes while I was frozen in fascination. Most of us neighbours in this little street in the Toronto Beaches feed the birds every day during the winter. But the owl wanted some meat I suppose. She dove into a dense bush where a bunch of finches seemed to hide. I could not see if she got any pray. But when I went to get the phone for a picture, she was gone upon my return outside. It was light on the belly with a brownish top coat of feathers on her her wings. Little ears were sticking out. How beautiful it was. I am off to get some owl food.

Paul W from Toronto wrote ... I was in my backyard which is somewhat wooded and just after a winter storm. It was late in the evening around 1130 pm. My dog was out with me when I was suddenly surprised by some type of bird which swooped down towards my dog and about 1 and a half feet above my dog it retreated up towards a tree. I looked up to see a large owl. It was silent and I could not hear wings flapping. It was totally calm looking at me and turning its head as the wind moved some branches behind it. What a beautiful specimen! I believe it was a Horned Owl.

George D from Toronto wrote ... on March 6th I saw a shadow of what l initially thought was a young cat through the front window of our bungalow. With closer inspection the head of the creature rotated like an owl. It was perched on our narrow window ledge for what seemed like a minute or two. Since it was dark out there was no colour differentiation but the horns (if that’s what they are called) were clearly seen. My daughter and I sew it fly down to the front yard table where it hung out for 5 minutes or so. I couldn’t imagine any food that it would catch in the dead of night and the fact that it was so cold made me dumbfounded and concerned.

Dave M from Peterborough said ... we have been lucky enough to have seen a few owls soaring through the trees of Jackson Park this winter but never really got to get a good look until today. What I think was a Barred Owl flew from one tree to another right in front of us then just sat there looking down at me and my dog! It was about 8:00 in the morning and made my hike through the park that much more interesting! I wish I could be more sure of its ID but oh well.

ID 2995965 © Scootz | Dreamstime.com