Out here in Ocean Shores, the corvids get downright long-winded about their
pestering of Bald Eagles and Great-horned Owls. I too always pay attention
when I hear them raise a ruckus, as it is often a clue to a nearby
raptor...although once it was my mother's escaped tortoise!
Dianna Moore
Ocean Shores, Wa.
dlmoor2 at coastaccess.com

----- Original Message -----
From: Diann MacRae <tvulture at vei.net>
To: <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Friday, November 09, 2001 10:14 AM
Subject: Re: pesky critters


Hi, Tweets

Bothell isn't exactly urban, but we certainly qualify as suburban out here
in the Snohomish County part, sort of Greater Bothell. We have more land
than many city folk, but the local raptors still face the same mobbing as
those in the city. I have a healthy band of Steller's jay (yes, they bum
peanuts constantly - as I write this, one is pecking at the window) plus a
few crows. I also have barred owls in the small ravine in back. And, of
course, the way I tell if the owl is nearby is when the cacophony of corvid
anger erups (actually, it might not be anger at all, perhaps "hey, time for
fun!"). The young barred owl was just above my woodshed a few days ago and
seemed as unconcerned as anything about the jays. A few minutes later he
had moved to another tree and was preening quite energetically, completely
ignoring the blue tribe that was harrassing him (yes, I know, it could have
been a she). Perhaps many raptors just become "used" to the local species
that tend to mob them.

Cheers, Diann
___________________________
Diann MacRae
Olympic Vulture Study
22622 - 53rd Avenue S.E.
Bothell, WA 98021
mailto: tvulture at vei.net
http://users.vei.net/tvulture/