I found saw whet owls calling all over the Okanogan Highlands [Okanogan Co],
east of Tonasket and Oroville to the Ferry Co. Line, in early Feb. 1994,
all night but especially dusk to midnight, when conditions were cold (~+10F),
clear, calm, and full moon. More interesting on the following day, I
discovered a saw-whet owl calling in broad daylight, and in bright sunshine,
near Wauconda [Okanogan Co] in response to my pygmy owl imitation for
passerines. That bird was easily located by sight hiding in a small thick
pine. Every time I whistled pygmy owl notes, the saw-whet immediately
commenced tooting softly for 15-20 seconds or so. Likewise, imitating
saw-whet toots produced the same response. This went on 15 or 20 times when
I finally went away -- and on to 'bigger and better things' as it were -- a
great gray owl which I stumbled upon by accident a few minutes later just
down the road. It was rather fun just watching a saw-whet actually tooting
and seeing the movement in the throat and feathers.

Richard Rowlett <pagodroma at aol.com>
Bellevue, WA, USA