Tweeters,

We just stopped yesterday (3-13) around 5 pm about 10 miles south of
Othello, WA along
Highway 17 to view a flock of Sandhill Cranes spread out over a couple of
fields and feeding among cows. There were more than 200 cranes, and
they were calling while on the ground. We really enjoyed hearing them.

While viewing these, we also spotted a SHORT-EARED OWL flapping behind them
and towards the north end of Scootenay Lake. As it seemed rather focused on
its hunting, we were able to get in a good position to view it. Just as we
thought we had had some pretty good views, it landed atop a low perch but in
the open where we had the best views ever. It was neat to see the wing
pattern which in flight reminded me of a night hawk having the black wing
tips, then a lighter patch, followed by darker underwing. It must be a
male, judging from the lighter breast, and overall grayer appearance. For a
while it flew in the same area as a female northern harrier, but the slow
bat-like flapping interspersed with short glides distinctly differed from
the hawk, or we might have passed right over it.

Erik Mundall
Connell, WA
emundall AT hotmail.com

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