This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
------=_NextPart_000_0026_01BE13AF.64B76E20
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
A friend who introduced me to survey for spotted owls used to tell me =
often, "As soon as you think you have them all figured out, they'll =
prove you wrong." Over the years I have found this to be true.
Some observations. This was a good reproductive year for spotted owls. =
Most of the pairs I found this year reproduced with two young. The prey =
base for spotted owls also seemed to do very well this year which would =
likely translate to a good survival year for the juveniles. At the same =
time, habitat is sparse, and what is there is well-used.
Barred owls are moving in to many areas that have been historically =
spotted owl habitat, further reducing the availability of habitat. =
Barred owls have also had a good reproduction year, so the juvenile =
spotted owls would have to compete with barred owl juveniles for space. =
The rapid increase in barred owls over the last ten years is really =
putting the sqeeze on spotted owls and is probably more of a problem =
right now than habitat loss.
The main feature of old-growth forest in relation to spotted owls is, to =
my mind, the availability of nesting opportunities. If you find an owl =
in old-growth, the probability is very high that it is paired up. If you =
find an owl in younger forest, it may be either a single or a pair. Most =
of the single owls I've found have been in younger forest. Single owls =
in old-growth forest don't tend to stay that way for long because the =
opportunity for nesting sites is at a premium. Since single owls that =
haven't paired up or that are as yet incapable of reproducing don't =
require old-growth forest, they are generally found in the lesser =
habitat. While there are other factors involved, it is probably more the =
ample opportunity to nest than anything else that makes the spotted owl =
an old-growth related species.
That the Everett owl was in the middle of traffic and people doesn't =
surprise me that much. All but a rare few of the spotted owls I've been =
around have been particularly unconcerned with the presense of people. =
My take on that attitude is a little different than many people's =
though, for while unconcerned they are very aware of anyone nearby and =
associate very quickly between people and a potential food source (if =
the owls have been moused). In this respect their attitude reminds me =
very much of the diffidence of cats. If danger from humans was a reason =
to avoid humans, we would all avoid each other like the plague. I think =
it touches our vanity a bit to associate diffidence with being unaware =
or stupid.=20
While spotted owls generally avoid openings in the forest canopy they =
will fly across open spaces if that's the only way to get from A to B. =
Part of their avoidance of open spaces is likely do to protection from =
attack from great horned owls or, in daytime, some of the larger hawks, =
but I think it has at least as much to do with their method of flight. =
When spotted owls fly they most often move in short hops rather than =
long flights. If they are flying up a mountainside, they do so in a =
zig-zag pattern, generally not travelling more than a couple hundred =
feet at a time, more often less.
Over time and given probabilities associated with numbers and =
opportunity it's maybe not too surprising that a spotted owl would be =
found so far outside its normal habitat. Odd to us because of the rarity =
invloved but probably right in line with the frequency of nature's =
overall oddities. I think that many juvenile spotted owls end up in =
areas of similar poor-quality habitat, if not quite so remarkable, but =
don't survive through anything but a mild winter.
Bob Pearson
Packwood, WA
<rpearson at i-link-2.net>
------=_NextPart_000_0026_01BE13AF.64B76E20
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.3510.1400"' name=3DGENERATOR>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>A friend who introduced me to survey =
for spotted=20
owls used to tell me often, "As soon as you think you have them all =
figured=20
out, they'll prove you wrong." Over the years I have found this to =
be=20
true.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Some observations. This was a good =
reproductive=20
year for spotted owls. Most of the pairs I found this year reproduced =
with two=20
young. The prey base for spotted owls also seemed to do very well this =
year=20
which would likely translate to a good survival year for the juveniles. =
At the=20
same time, habitat is sparse, and what is there is =
well-used.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Barred owls are moving in to many =
areas that=20
have been historically spotted owl habitat, further reducing the =
availability of=20
habitat. Barred owls have also had a good reproduction year, so the =
juvenile=20
spotted owls would have to compete with barred owl juveniles for space. =
The=20
rapid increase in barred owls over the last ten years is really putting =
the=20
sqeeze on spotted owls and is probably more of a problem right now than =
habitat=20
loss.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>The main feature of old-growth =
forest in=20
relation to spotted owls is, to my mind, the availability of nesting=20
opportunities. If you find an owl in old-growth, the probability is very =
high=20
that it is paired up. If you find an owl in younger forest, it may be =
either a=20
single or a pair. Most of the single owls I've found have been in =
younger=20
forest. Single owls in old-growth forest don't tend to stay that way for =
long=20
because the opportunity for nesting sites is at a premium. Since =
single=20
owls that haven't paired up or that are as yet incapable of reproducing =
don't=20
require old-growth forest, they are generally found </FONT><FONT =
color=3D#000000=20
size=3D2>in the lesser habitat. While there are other factors involved, =
it is=20
probably more the ample opportunity to nest than anything else that =
makes the=20
spotted owl an old-growth related species.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>That the Everett owl was in the =
middle of=20
traffic and people doesn't surprise me that much. All but a rare few of =
the=20
spotted owls I've been around have been particularly unconcerned with =
the=20
presense of people. My take on that attitude is a little different than =
many=20
people's though, for while unconcerned they are very aware of anyone =
nearby and=20
associate very quickly between people and a potential food source (if =
the owls=20
have been moused). In this respect their attitude reminds me very much =
of the=20
diffidence of cats. If danger from humans was a reason to avoid humans, =
we would=20
all avoid each other like the plague. I think it touches our vanity a =
bit to=20
associate diffidence with being unaware or stupid. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>While spotted owls generally avoid =
openings in=20
the forest canopy they will fly across open spaces if that's the only =
way to get=20
from A to B. Part of their avoidance of open spaces is likely do to =
protection=20
from attack from great horned owls or, in daytime, some of the larger =
hawks, but=20
I think it has at least as much to do with their method of flight. When =
spotted=20
owls fly they most often move in short hops rather than long flights. If =
they=20
are flying up a mountainside, they do so in a zig-zag pattern, generally =
not=20
travelling more than a couple hundred feet at a time, more often=20
less.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Over time and given probabilities =
associated=20
with numbers and opportunity it's maybe not too surprising that a =
spotted owl=20
would be found so far outside its normal habitat. Odd to us because of =
the=20
rarity invloved but probably right in line with the frequency of =
nature's=20
overall oddities. I think that many juvenile spotted owls end up in =
areas of=20
similar poor-quality habitat, if not quite so remarkable, but don't =
survive=20
through anything but a mild winter.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Bob Pearson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Packwood, WA</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000=20
size=3D2><rpearson at i-link-2.net></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
------=_NextPart_000_0026_01BE13AF.64B76E20--