Barred Owls generally hunt on lower branches and are sometimes seen hunting even during the day. This one was on Vassar’s campus in the evening on Thursday (7/21/2017), photographed by Stephen Kovari.

July 6th, 2017- At dusk, an adult Great Horned Owl was seen perching on a dead tree out on the preserve. Great horned owls are apex predators and can competitively exclude most other owl species where present. In the case of the preserve, our resident barred owls have become more difficult to track down since the great horned owls have moved in. Where great horned owls and barred owls are both present, great horned owls are always dominant and barred owls will use areas of their territory further from the center of activity of the great horned owls (if they even stay). By Stephen Kovari.

July 7th, 2017- Stephen Kovari spotted an american beaver and some juvenile wood ducks at the beaver pond on the preserve around dusk. The wood ducks are common breeders there, but are especially skittish and difficult to photograph.