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From: Laviolette, Lance (EXP)=20
Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 11:09
To: Kevin Lantz=20
Cc: Randy Lauff=20
Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Owl boxes and Raccoons
Hi Kevin,
=20
I have American Kestrel and Eastern Screech Owl boxes up on my farm in =
addition 30+ Tree Swallow/Eastern Bluebird houses. Exclusion is the best =
option as far as I=E2=80=99m concerned but as Randy has already pointed =
out, it is expensive and often impossible to implement.
=20
For the most part, I have the same approach as Randy. For example, I let =
Deer Mice have their way over winter and only evict them when I clean =
out my boxes in the spring. This year I=E2=80=99ve left a Red Squirrel =
alone who has set up shop in one of my boxes. However, having one of 30 =
out of circulation isn=E2=80=99t really a problem. They aren=E2=80=99t =
all used every year anyway. I use to clean out House Sparrow nests as =
they were getting built however given their steep decline in numbers I =
rarely see them in one of my boxes anymore and I let them stay if they =
do build a nest in one.
=20
Raccoon depredation is a big problem in my area. To reduce the risk of =
one following me to an active nest box as Randy described I=E2=80=99ve =
completely stopped visiting the boxes during the breeding season. This =
has worked very well and I see little to no depredation of my boxes now =
where during the year I was visiting them regularly (I even used a =
circular route as you describe Randy), I found a number of boxes that =
had the nests destroyed and adults killed.
=20
I will say I know at least two people who have run owl box trails who =
chose a lethal solution when they found a raccoon in a box. First they =
didn=E2=80=99t want the box usurped and second they were concerned that =
the raccoon had learned that the boxes were potential food sources and =
would visit others and kill the owls and young in them.=20
=20
That was their choice of course and I=E2=80=99m not advocating that =
approach. I=E2=80=99m only relating it to you as an option. Another =
option would be to live trap the raccoon and transport it out of the =
area. If you do this the animal should be moved at least 10km away from =
your site and preferably further. Unfortunately, transportation of an =
animal is not without repercussions, both to the animal and to the =
location it is moved to.
=20
A last method you might try is to remove or open the roof on the box (if =
you=E2=80=99ve constructed it in a way to do so). This should get the =
raccoon to move off to a more sheltered location. Unfortunately it may =
be too late for an owl to take up residence this year depending on where =
you are located and the raccoon my check out the site again anyway. You =
might try leaving the roof off/open until late in the fall, at which =
time raccoons have probably found alternate accommodations, but before =
owls will have located a nest site. Unfortunately this method will =
probably reduce the lifespan of the box itself.=20
=20
Good luck,
=20
Lance
Lance Laviolette
Glen Robertson, Ontario
lance.laviolette@lmco.com
=20
=20
=20
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca =
[mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of Kevin Lantz
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 7:22 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: EXTERNAL: [NatureNS] Owl boxes and Raccoons
=20
This evening I paid a quick visit to an Owl nest box I put up in 2011 =
and found it occupied by a Raccoon. I now have to figure out how to =
evict him. I=E2=80=99m sure someone here has run into this problem =
before. The tree trunk could be wrapped with sheet metal to prevent =
climbing but I suspect they would gain access using the neighbouring =
trees. Is there another method or should I look for a tree that is =
isolated enough for sheet metal to work? I don=E2=80=99t think I have =
ever heard this mentioned in relation to Owl boxes but I wonder if all =
such boxes should be protected to prevent possible predation by =
Raccoons.=20
=20
Kevin Lantz
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<DIV style=3D"font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A =
title=3Dlance.laviolette@lmco.com=20
href=3D"mailto:lance.laviolette@lmco.com">Laviolette, Lance (EXP)</A> =
</DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, March 21, 2012 11:09</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=3Dklantz@ns.sympatico.ca=20
href=3D"mailto:klantz@ns.sympatico.ca">Kevin Lantz</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Cc:</B> <A title=3Drandy.lauff@gmail.com=20
href=3D"mailto:randy.lauff@gmail.com">Randy Lauff</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> RE: [NatureNS] Owl boxes and =
Raccoons</DIV&g