Hi Tweets -- Now here's something different which just popped up on OBOL this
morning. This post captivated my attention; I hope you'll find it
interesting as well. Enjoy :-)) --Richard Rowlett
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Subject: Albany Bat / Owl Show
Jeffrey Fleischer <lbcurlew at PROAXIS.COM>
Date: Fri, 7 Jul 2000 22:34:59 -0700

Obolers,

Just returned from a great wildlife survival of the fittest show! I
arrived at the Costume Loft location in downtown Albany for my third
attempt at watching the WESTERN SCREECH OWL catch bats. This time I was
rewarded with an unexpected display of predator prowess. Following is a
timeline of activity that I witnessed.

9:05 pm - I arrived at the location

9:11 pm - The first bats flew from the building

9:15 pm - The 57th bat departed the building

9:18 pm - The owl arrived as the 81st bat emerged from the north side of
the building

9:21 pm - The owl attempted and failed to catch its first bat. The typical
attempt is for the bird to listen (my assumption) for a bat emerging from
the roof edge metal flashing and then fly up to the flashing as the bat
emerges. The bird literally throws itself at the bat with talons extended.
You can hear the bird hit the flashing as it traps the bat against the wall.

9:22 pm - The owl successfully caught the 85th bat to emerge. It took the
bat to the trees at the edge of the river and proceeded to pick at it for a
minute before flying off across the river, supposedly to feed some youngins

9:26 pm - The owl returned

9:27 pm - The owl caught its second bat, the 93rd bat to emerge from the
building. It again took the screaming bat to the trees by the river where
it again killed the bat and picked at it for a bit. It then took off
across the river.

9:32 pm - The owl showed up for the third time!

9:33 pm - The owl left the powerline perch and flew around to the south
side of the building where it perched on a branch stub on the large tree
next to the building.

9:36 pm - The owl caught its third bat! I tried to run back to the trees
along the river in time to see if the owl used the trees again but I could
not find the owl.

9:45 pm - I left the site after not seeing anymore bats emerge from the
building.


Whew! I am most fortunate to live nearby and just drop in on the show :)
With more than 100 bats still flying out of the building there is an ample
food supply for this family of owls. Hope some of you who haven't
witnessed this unique predator adaptation can come see the show in the near
future. Good luck!

Jeff Fleischer
Albany, OR
>>>>

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Richard Rowlett (Pterodroma at aol.com)
47.59N, 122.13W
Bellevue (Eastgate), WA, USA

"Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what
nobody has thought" --Albert Szent-Gyorgi (1893-1986).
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