:: Scuff Productions ::

For the last couple weeks, we AND next door neighbor Jeff Kane have heard a startling LOUD early night calling from the trees in back of Dianne’s house……………

Startling because it was LOUD……………….

THEN, last night, ALL our evening birds began literally squawking loudly, rapidly, constantly. They LEFT the feeders, but were in the trees panicked. You could hear parent birds chirping to call juveniles closer and into shelter. We looked out there to see what could cause this ruckus. The sun had just set, so it was likely too late for a hawk.

Rodger spotted it, a BIG OWL likely 16-18 inches tall just sitting on a branch straight out from the deck. He sat there…..we noticed markings, and as Rodger went to get the Camera and right lens, Mark moved the open glass door and the Owl flew closer to the birds in the trees. THEY responded with more noise. The conflict went on for minutes as the prey moved further into the forest and then closer …..the owl following.

After all the reading we could find, we were almost certain we saw the rare and endangered Northern Spotted Owl (pics from Web):

About one hour later we were outside and heard that same LOUD call coming from the trees in back of us. After finding a good sound page for the Owls, I became MORE convinced it was the spotted owl. BUT……………………………

A call was placed to the Audubon Society here THIS MORNING. It brought about a mini-conference there in the bird care center immediately. They came BACK to the phone saying THEY are 99% sure we are seeing a BARRED OWL because our forest here is not OLD enough for spotted owls:

The BARRED OWL:

Here’s a fabulous BIRD link, where, when doing a search, you can hear some of the best recorded bird calls I know of anywhere. SO. Click on the Spotted Owl Voice LINK………….if it isn’t sounding LOUD to you, your speakers aren’t playing it at the sound we hear it:

WhatBird Spotted Owls

I called Audubon Society this morning, and they want confirmation……………..THEY ARE SAYING FOREST PARK trees are TOO YOUNG to support Spotted OWL life. SO.

MARK AND RODGER are NOW on a MISSION. We MUST get a picture, and turn it in to Audubon. They have said IF we get the picture, and it IS a SPOTTED OWL……..THEY WILL ALL BE UP HERE that very evening they see it.

SO. We PROBABLY have a BARRED OWL NOW nesting in the neighborhood, but we’ll hope it’s that rarer animal. I will be happy if it IS the Barred OWL, it was a BIG magnificent bird. I must have been 16-18 inches tall. If you hear your little feeder birds squawking loudly at dusk, take a peek in the tree for this big guy.

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By the way, the baby Juncos that refused to move from the garden wagon nest site finally fledged and are on their own. This was taken last week, and I could NOT believe how fast they grew: