** Rob S. wrote -


> Having just heard a long series of "toots" out in the forest, I came in to
> reread the posts on saw-whet calls from last spring. Chris Hill (I think)
> said that the repeated single call was given in the spring as a mating
> "advertisement". We're quite a ways from spring, is it likely for a
> saw-whet to be doing this already? If not, what other possibilities are
> there? Thanks...

Was it a long series of toots with fairly noticeable pauses between the toots;
or was it a series of toots very closely spaced? If the first, I would suggest
it would more likely be N. Pygmy Owl; if the second, it would more likely be
a N. Saw-whet. However, both these lack much pitch change in the series. If
it is a fairly closely spaced series of 10-15 toots but with a noticeable rise
in pitch during the first 5 or 6 notes, then it would be more typical of Boreal
Owl.

- Jack


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