Scott Ray:
> I'd have to disagree with you here. On the contrary, I believe owls are
> much more common than is commonly believed. Your comment is more true if
> you are talking about owls *seen*. Except for Great Horned and Barn, I
> rarely actually see the nocturnal species. When I was a kid it seemed like
> owls were impossible to find. However, a few years of birding with
> experienced birders convinced me that owls are actually very common. Most of
> Washington's nocturnal owls are easily found by their vocalizations. Some
> species are indeed easily found in the same locations year after year. Maybe
> these locations are reported over an over because they are close to
> population centers and easily accessible to many birders.

I'll have to agree with Scott, here. First, though, keep in mind that
owls are predators and therefore have fairly large territorial needs.
Thus, they're never going to be common like golden-crowned sparrows
in blackberry thickets in winter here.

And, also, for many species "suitable habitat" means habitat with older
trees to provide snags, or old woodpecker nest cavities. This habitat
is disappearing, it ain't only 'ole spotty, though this species requirements
are (what's the right word?) extreme? unique? Many owls, and woodpeckers,
and other birds, are dependent upon older, heart-rotted live trees or
snags, which of course our forest management schemes don't favor.

I stumble across owls fairly frequently, but then at times over the
past several years I've spent more time living and working outdoors than
most birders. I think of the pygmy owl that was calling about fifty
feet away at the Cape Flattery hawkwatch site on the day I conducted
the count this past spring. The saw-whet calling directly over my
tent at Bandolier NM when I backpacked there a few years back. And
many similar, unexpected instances.

Not to mention the Great Grey Owl trip I led to eastern Oregon a
few years back, that yielded Flam, Barred and GGO within a 200 ft.
radius all at once! With several flams calling in the distance.
And another trip looking for Great Grey that
uncovered a family of barreds - at the time the third or fourth
confirmed nesting record for Oregon (of course they're now common
as dirt). Or the spotted owl roosting on the American River in
Sacramento, or the barred that spent a day roosting just outside
the downtown library in good 'ole Portland!

I could go on.

I think the basic problem is that they're well camoflauged, and
nocturnal. Camo makes them hard to see; nocturnal habits makes
them most active when we're least active unless looking for owls.

Which perhaps explains why those looking for owls are most likely
to see them :)

>
> As far as Saw-whets are concerned try tooting along the Teanaway River road
> east of Cle Elum in mid March a couple of hours after sunset and you should
> be able to hear Saw-whets every quarter mile or so.
>
>
> Cheers!
>
> Scott
>
> Scott Ray
> Yakima, WA
> > (509) 965-5456
> >

- Don Baccus, Portland OR <donb at rational.com>