great horned owls

[dragoncjo]

Tonight while at my sister's house in haddon heights I heard two owls hooting back and forth. I've never heard an owl before especially in such a populated area as camden county. I always thought of owls as living in the deep woods. Has anyone else seen or heard them in populated areas like haddon heights. Also is it normal for two owls to hoot back and forth like this. Also the other day while walking his dog my brother in law claims he saw a pileated woodpecker in a tall old tree in the macarthur tract in haddon township. My brother in law isn't a bs artist so I showed him a pick and he claims that is what he saw. A little hard for me to beleive personally.

 

[Teegate]

Tonight while at my sister's house in haddon heights I heard two owls hooting back and forth. I've never heard an owl before especially in such a populated area as camden county. I always thought of owls as living in the deep woods. Has anyone else seen or heard them in populated areas like haddon heights. Also is it normal for two owls to hoot back and forth like this. Also the other day while walking his dog my brother in law claims he saw a pileated woodpecker in a tall old tree in the macarthur tract in haddon township. My brother in law isn't a bs artist so I showed him a pick and he claims that is what he saw. A little hard for me to beleive personally.

I live right near there and hear those owls all the time. I have never been able to see one yet

Guy

 

[dragoncjo]

Yeah my sister lives right along 295 off devon, I guess they live around that alley of woods that goes down to big timber creek. The owl sounded like it was right in front of us. We had a 1,000,000 candled power light shinning in the trees but couldn't find it. After about five minutes we heard a loud rustling noise on the ground by the soundproof walls. I think it may have been the owl. I wonder if owls hoot while hunting or while there on ground with a kill?

 

[woodjin]

This is mating season for the Great Horned Owl. They are common in any wooded area, not just the deep woods. The hooting is a mating call so it tends to be done from trees, not while hunting or on the ground with a kill. Your best bet for finding them is to walk around an area (where you've heard them) durring the day looking for owl pellets (regurgetated bones and fur) near the base of a tree. Then, look up! Sometimes you get lucky, they are pretty confident in a tree branch and won't always immeditely fly away. I used to find them all the time growning up in Monmouth county. As I recall they were particularly fond of non-native white pine, but that was in mostly decidious forests. Good Luck, Have fun!

Jeff

 

[uuglypher]

I was about to hold forth on great horned owl (GHO) breeding and hunting behavior, but looked ahead in the messages and found that Jeff had said most of what I was going to, but with greater concision than I can ever muster!

Only interesting thing I'll add is to mention that usually in the last half of December and first part of January you'll hear the first territorial vocalizations of the GHO; then they go silent 'til about now when they are breedin' fer real. Most GHO's generally use last year's red tail nests (without much - if any - refurbishing) and fledge their young'ns before the red tails reclaim the time-share and do some re-modeling before egg-laying in April or early May.

Best t'yall,
Dave

This is mating season for the Great Horned Owl. They are common in any wooded area, not just the deep woods. The hooting is a mating call so it tends to be done from trees, not while hunting or on the ground with a kill. Your best bet for finding them is to walk around an area (where you've heard them) durring the day looking for owl pellets (regurgetated bones and fur) near the base of a tree. Then, look up! Sometimes you get lucky, they are pretty confident in a tree branch and won't always immeditely fly away. I used to find them all the time growning up in Monmouth county. As I recall they were particularly fond of non-native white pine, but that was in mostly decidious forests. Good Luck, Have fun!

Jeff

 

[long-a-coming]

I grew up on 10th Ave. in Haddon Heights, right across the street from the WWII "Cannon Park" and the Veterans memorial. I miss Heights but the real estate is way over my head today. The woods by Devon Ave. were a fun place to hang out as a kid. I moved to Berlin three years ago and one of the main reasons was proximity to the pines

 

[bobpbx]

I moved to Berlin three years ago and one of the main reasons was proximity to the pines

I have a doctor I visit in Sewell. I like the area of the road I travel on. I think the name is Hurffley Cross Keys? Goes from Berlin Southwest. Seems to be starting to be over-run with development lately.

I get there from Bamber without ever touching route 70 and only crossing route 73. I hit Woodmansie, Pasadena, Chatsworth, Tabernacle, Atco, etc.

 

[BEHR655]

I think the name is Hurffley Cross Keys?

Hurffville-Cross Keys

 

[Teegate]

I grew up on 10th Ave. in Haddon Heights, right across the street from the WWII "Cannon Park" and the Veterans memorial. I miss Heights but the real estate is way over my head today. The woods by Devon Ave. were a fun place to hang out as a kid. I moved to Berlin three years ago and one of the main reasons was proximity to the pines

Yea..it is a haul from this area to the pines, but well worth it!

Guy

 

[long-a-coming]

I have a doctor I visit in Sewell. I like the area of the road I travel on. I think the name is Hurffley Cross Keys? Goes from Berlin Southwest. Seems to be starting to be over-run with development lately.

I get there from Bamber without ever touching route 70 and only crossing route 73. I hit Woodmansie, Pasadena, Chatsworth, Tabernacle, Atco, etc.

That's a cool drive hitting all those spots.

I travel down Berlin-Cross keys road a couple times a week heading towards Mullica Hill.

 

[dragoncjo]

I grew up on 10th Ave. in Haddon Heights, right across the street from the WWII "Cannon Park" and the Veterans memorial. I miss Heights but the real estate is way over my head today. The woods by Devon Ave. were a fun place to hang out as a kid. I moved to Berlin three years ago and one of the main reasons was proximity to the pines

I have a couple friends who live in that area around the park. There is quite a population of red fox denning in cannon park along with the devon ave soccer fields. I agree real estate price are way overpriced in heights along with the taxes.

 

[Piney Boy]

Hurffville-Cross Keys

I live right adjacent to hurfville crosskeys, and unfortunately it has really come under siege the last couple of years from development. Its unfortunate because it has always had some nice forested glades in the past.

 

[BEHR655]

I live right adjacent to hurfville crosskeys, and unfortunately it has really come under siege the last couple of years from development. Its unfortunate because it has always had some nice forested glades in the past.

Yup. That used to be "out in the country".

Steve

 

[grendel]

At my old house in VA we had barred owls everywhere. They could make amazing noises.On one occasion I had family down from jersey and it sounded like there was a dozen owls around the house, it was a great show.I used to do this call that my Dad taught me with my hands( you sort of cup your hands and blow through your thumbs like an acorn whistle) and the owls would often answer. Once I was walking with my dog in the afternoon and we came upon one on the ground, it had a squirrel in its talons and this look about it that seemed to say "go ahead just try and take my dinner" it was a big bird, I think it would have kicked both of our butts!

 

[woodjin]

LOL Neat!

 

[Furball1]

My son and I camped at Lower Forge once in March and a Barred Owl landed directly over our tent, we were just dozing off when it let out with its siren-like hoot---boy did that scare us awake!! My son nearly jumped through the tent roof from a supine position, instantly!