Bob Mauritsen wrote:
>
> Tweeters,
>
> I've tentatively planned to take a friend of mine this Sunday up to the
> West 90 to see the Snowies there. The forecast is for more rain. This
> is probably a dumb question, but do the owls still sit out there in the
> rain -- at least in between the showers, if it's not steady rain? If
> it's been raining a lot, is there any chance of spotting the owls in
> between showers? What about the short-eared owls and hawks there?
>
> Also, considering the rain, does one have to walk far from the car in
> order to see the owls at the Big Ditch area? Is it fairly obvious where
> to go once one actually gets to where the big ditch is on the map?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Bob Mauritsen
> Seattle
> rhm at ms.washington.edu
Bob,
Once you get to Big Ditch (after driving down the pothole disguised
as a gravel road), there is a muddy parking lot. Park and lock and
put on the rubber boots. Head pretty much straight ahead and go
left when you get to the dike trail. I have not been owling there
this year, but I believe the owls are generally to the left, out
near the end of the dike. Sometimes they can be scoped from near
the parking lot, but I have had little success there.

Paul Cozens
wcozens at earthlink.net