Lamont McClure delivered a proclamation to representatives from Boy Scout Troop 38 at the August 5^th County Council meeting for their troop project, installing two Barred Owl nesting boxes in the Minsi Lake Greenway in 2019. A pair of owls took up residence in one of the boxes this year, successfully raising two owlets which fledged in July. This may be the first account in the Northampton County Parks system of Barred Owls using nesting boxes to successfully raise their young.

McClure and the Department of Parks and Recreation also thank the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary for their assistance with the installation and monitoring of Barred Owl nesting boxes. Dr. Jean-Francois Therrier, who has established a nesting box monitoring program at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, banded the owlets.

“Northampton County is grateful to Troop 38 for beginning this project and to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary for assisting with the conservation efforts,” says Lamont McClure. “Our Parks and Recreation department will continue to protect our land and open spaces for both humans and wildlife.”

The Barred Owl is widespread in North America, living in forests and wooded swamps near to water. The raptor is known to feed on small mammals and amphibians. The birds mate for life and maintain the same territories and nest sites for many years.