At the West 90 on the Samish Flats on 28 Nov, there were 4 Snowy Owls,
including probably the most heavily marked immature I've ever seen and 3
much whiter-looking birds. No green head (except on the Mallards).
Raptors abounded, with 3-4 Short-eared Owls feeding at once (midday),
untold numbers of Red-tails, Rough-legs, harriers, and eagles, a Merlin and
a beautiful adult male Peregrine.

But for a real treat, check out the end of 72nd St. on Boundary Bay in
B.C., where there were at least *24* Snowy Owls visible at once on 29 Nov,
also one flying Short-eared. The really surprising thing was that all were
west of the road end, all south of the levee; we saw not a single one east,
nor in the fields north of the levee, nor at the end of 88th St. or
anywhere else in the area. They were amazingly clumped, with 10 in one
scope field and several instances of birds perching virtually next to one
another on a log.

This is quite at variance with a statement made by Kelly Cassidy to explain
the apparent decrease in numbers over time: "The owls are spacing
themselves out better, now that they have presumably stopped moving south,
making it harder to see large numbers in small areas." They are actually
amazingly *un*spaced, presumably congregating in areas of owl prey.
Perhaps they spread out all over the landscape when they begin foraging at
dusk. What we don't know about them would fill at least a bread box.

This year's owl invasion comes a close second to that of 73-74, when I
counted 36 Snowies and 12 Short-ears at that same place.

Does it take away from or add to the appeal of a raptor when you see 24, or
900, at once?

Dennis Paulson, Director phone 206-756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 206-756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416
web site: http://www.ups.edu/biology/museum/museum.html