>This most recent description of the call of the mystery owl sounds more
>like that of a Saw-whet Owl than any of the other candidates listed so far.
>In case it is, you would usually expect a lengthy series of monotonous,
>whistled notes that can go on for minutes at a time without a break. The
>Screech Owl will give its series of short, whistled, descending or rapidly
>accelerating notes in a burst that lasts for several seconds followed by
>distinct pauses before repeating the series again. The saw-whet is often
>more high pitched and less mellow than a screech owl call. The Boreal is as
>described, more like a snipe winnow and it has a decidedly more evocative,
>even eerie quality as opposed to the rather simple notes of the saw-whet
>owl. I hope this helps but I find words often too inadequate to accurately
>describe what you have heard so as to create no doubt in the readers'
>minds.

Right you are, Rick. I thought about this oh, maybe 10 seconds after posting
the last bit, but assumed that someone else would pick it up :-). Obviously,
I'm rusty. We should do some "Flam"-ing this summer! Re. the Boreal Owl call
being complex: you're not kidding. The harmonics and overtones make this the
one of the few New World owls which cannot be adequately imitated by a
human... even by you.

- Jack
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*Jack Bowling *
*Prince George, BC *
*jcbowling at mindlink.bc.ca *
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