Subject: Reply to W. Screech-Owls
Date: Nov 17 01:04:09 1997
From: Geopandion at aol.com - Geopandion at aol.com


Tweeters,

I have been owling on Bainbridge Island for over 10 years. Barred Owls
were first recorded on Bainbrige in Janurary of 1993. We were playing a tape
for W. Screech-Owl and a Barred Owl flew in, looking for an easy meal?. I
have since had the same experience at two other locals on the island. We
have been careful since then NOT to try to solicit Screech-Owls for fear of
causing their untimely demise. However, Screech_Owls have continued to be
present at the locations where the Barred Owls were seen as evidenced by
listening without active solicitation. Once, a Screech-Owl was calling close
to the road and we had a light on it. Suddenly a Barred Owl swooped in, but
the Screech-Owl detected the attack and and avoided capture. My sense is
that the Screech-Owls are more agile than the Barred Owls. They have
survived co-habitation with Great Horned Owls here, so I don't see Barred
Owls as any more of a problem. I haven't seen any evidence of their numbers
decreasing to date. Lots of evidence of interactions with Barred Owls though.

George Gerdts
Geopandion at aol.com
Bainbridge Island
206-842-8138