I walked all the way around the shoreline of Lake Hood in Anchorage
in pursuit of a Great Horned Owl atop a pole. It turned out to be
a carving. Wondered why it was still for so long in such an exposed
spot.

Also, driving in with a friend (also a birder) to her cabin at Big Lake,
I ducked my head to peer up at the powerline we were passing
under. "It's not a bird," she said instantly. There are certain types
of wire pigtails on power or telephone lines that have just the right
slant to be a perched bird. Even knowing this does not help - you're
going to look at it each time.


Chris Maack
Anchorage, AK
CMaack at compuserve.com