Subject: LONG-EARED OWL -- Lake Sammamish State Park
Date: Feb 4 22:08:24 1998
From: PAGODROMA at aol.com - PAGODROMA at aol.com


The LONG-EARED OWL first reported and posted from the ELWAS CBC at Lake
Sammamish State Park (LSSP), Issaquah, King Co., was seen late this afternoon
(3:30pm) back on it's 'favorite' perch in the small pine grove (Ted Bundy
National Forest?) across from COSCO. This was a super-duper quick express
trip to just check in and check out. The owl was seen instantly before I'd
even gotten myself organized and was in the first spot I looked which was
where I expected to find it if it were there. I like knocking off birds like
this -- it just saves so much time and gets me to the Eastgate Dairy Queen
that much quicker for my daily large chocolate ice cream cone fix :-)) and
especially this time since I'd just about given up on this Long-eared Owl even
still being around.

The pine grove is located directly across (north) NW Sammamish Parkway
(opposite COSCO from Issaquah's sprawling Pickering Place shopping and office
complex -- a good place to park btw). Enter the park through the gated drive
directly across the parkway, walking north past the Issaquah soccer field on
the left. This very small pine grove is obvious as the 'official park
vehicles only' road enters them about 100 yards north, pines on both sides.
Easiest access and to where the owl may be seen is from near the north side,
where you will see a short primitive little trail cut through the brambles
going off to the left (west). The Long-eared Owl was perched about 30 feet up
(~5 feet below the crown) on a branch in the 3rd tree on the left after
entering. If you can't count that high or get confused, well then watch for a
convenient piece of gold colored foil at the base of the tree and some little
splotches of white wash on the branches and on the ground. Watch also for
pellets. There *were* some this afternoon, but I made off with 'em to dissect
and examine and I'll let you know what I find specific beyond something
uselessly generic like "mouse" :-))

Repeated visits since the ELWAS CBC on December 20 had failed to find the bird
again nor even any sign that any owls were or had been in there at all.
However, someone (rats -- I can't remember your name -- please email me)
reported to me at Monday's WOS meeting that she had seen the bird a few days
later exactly where it had been reported in the original 'Tweeters' 12/21/97
posting (same as this one). The Long-eared Owl was first sighted here as
early as November 8 by Rob Conway I think but only came to my attention after
the 12/21 mention on 'Tweeters'. If there have been any subsequent sightings
since the first of the year, please let me know (privately if you prefer) as I
am trying to keep tabs on this bird. There is a chance that this Long-eared
Owl might nest in here assuming it can find a mate as the habitat looks good
and there are already-made nest platforms (old nests of something -- crows or
squirrels, 'old' LEOWs? '-) -- I'm not sure what) scattered around in the
pines.

So with that in mind, please walk softly and carry a big stick. Ooops, wrong
admonition. ...Um, oh, here it is. Walk and talk softly and try not to break
and crackle through the big (and little) sticks. Let your eyes do the
walking, no sudden and sweeping gestures and loud talking or shouting. For
the really really keen eyed and if you knew exactly where to look, you
wouldn't even need to enter the pine grove at all as the Long-eared Owl can be
seen from the trail. Oh yes, and please, please, please, pretty please; no
hooting or taping. If the owl is not on that said branch then there is a good
chance it's not even in the grove at all. I as well as others have scoured
the grove on several occasions since late December without finding a sign to
it's whereabouts and there are plenty of other conifer patches in this part of
the park that are likely used as alternate roosts. Let me know if you find
one of them.

Richard Rowlett (Pagodroma at aol.com)
47.56N, 122.13W
(Seattle/Bellevue, WA USA)