Subject: my bird of the year
Date: Dec 31 18:15:13 2000
From: cheryl essary - chiawana at bossig.com


Hi Tweeters,
I've been reading your posts for a long time & decided to subscribe
myself at last. I'm not a very experienced birder but I think I'm
learning a lot. Your posts have been a good learning tool for me.
Strangely enough I "got" my best bird of the year this morning, and I
don't even know what it was! Well, I do know it was an owl. I was
lying in bed, it was still dark, and I was half-awake. I heard these
"whoo whoo" noises outside. I listened for a few minutes and they came
at pretty regular intervals and sounded very close. So I opened up the
window very slowly & quietly hoping not to frighten the owl away. Now,
don't ask me what I thought I would see, since it was still dark, but I
just couldn't resist. At least I could hear it better, and it was
really close. All of a sudden there was a whoosh of wings and a big
black form swept in front of the window. Magnificent! Even if I didn't
see it in living color. What a way to end the year!!
I'm guessing it was probably a barn owl, as I have seen them here
before. Whatever it was, it was very cool.

Cheryl Essary
Othello, WA
chiawana at bossig.com