Boxes 22 and 23: Cane Creek Reservoir

Cane Creek Reservoir, in western Orange County, is one of the most picturesque locales in all of central North Carolina. Rolling hills and farmland meet clear water and open sky to create a scene more reminiscent of the mountains than the piedmont. Managed by the Orange Water and Sewer Authority as a drinking supply, the reservoir is one of the best places in the county for seeing ducks and other avian wildlife, including wintering kestrels.

When I approached OWASA about the prospect of locating two Barn Owl boxes at the reservoir, they directed me to Johnny Riley, the Lake Warden. As the manager of this spectacular piece of property, he would have the final say on the matter. Luckily for us, Mr. Riley had an educational background in wildlife biology, and he quickly agreed to host the boxes. He even agreed to help us to set them up.

On an unseasonably warm Saturday morning, the assembly team met at the reservoir. Typically OWASA opens the gates on Fridays and Saturdays in spring and summer, so we had the whole place to ourselves. We even got to drive over the dam!

An American Pipit flew overhead. Two dozen Ruddy Ducks fed near the shore of the lake. The day could not have been any more beautiful for a February. We soon had the first box up, facing an open farm field. Pictured below are Sasha and Johnny.

This box can actually be seen from Sanford road, even when the reservoir is closed. The second box was placed on the western side of the dam, closer to the lake. Prime habitat can be found in nearly every direction. 

These Cane Creek Reservoir nest boxes complete our western Orange County cluster strategy. We now have 9 boxes placed along a "Barn Owl highway" of sorts, running from Mapleview Farm to the Reservoir. Several of these boxes can be seen from the road. Keep your eyes peeled at dawn and dusk if you are out in this part of the county.