Tweets,
we had an un-expected visitor to my bird feeder this
morning.
During the usual morning routine, I glanced out the
kitchen window to check activity at the feeder.
Activity was noticably lacking. Abondoned except a
single Stellar's Jay. Hmm. OK.
Glance back a little later, looks like a Song Sparrow
perched on a branch above and behind the feeder, white
breast, prominent striping. Where's the central spot?
That looks a little chunky for a sparrow....
Grab the bins...
Yellow eyes looking back .....
Northern Pygmy-Owl!!
Grab Cara out of her high chair, stand her up on the
counter for a look at this Owl out the kitchen window.
Run for the Camera, begin trying to set up.
We both got some really nice looks at this little Owl
as it scoped out the feeder area, ignoring and mostly
ignored by the Stellar's Jay. But there are NO
chickadees around.
Then while fussing with the camera, it disappears.
Bummer, Back to breakfast.
Cara complains that her Cheerios had gotten soggy.

After finishing breakfast, I notice that there are a
LOT of chickadees out there now, and a Red-breasted
Nuthatch. All are agitated. The Owl MUST be still
around.
Then the Owl pops out again, below and behind the
feeder, I get a quick look, then it disappears again.
But the mob has been alerted, and I find him just off
the back desk in the apple tree, by following the mob
of irrate chickadees, and one pissed Stellar's Jay.
I KNOW he is in there, within 10 feet of where we are
standing.
Eventually, he pops out again to an outer branch,
within about 8 feet of where we are standing on the
deck. He glares around for about 10-20 seconds,
allowing us some REALLY nice looks, I point out the
yellow eyes to Cara. We get one last yellow-eyed
glare, then he flys off across the yard to a large
maple tree. The mob does not follow.
I believe it was a juvenile bird, the plumage loked a
little scruffy, and he acted a little naive. I could
also hear him when he flew, but I've not seen enough N
Pygmy-Owls to know if they fly as silently as their
larger cousins.
Overall, a VERY nice and unexpected encounter with a
bird I never thought to see in my back-yard! And one
I hope Cara will remember as well.

Good Birding!
Guy

Guy McWethy
Renton, WA
mailto: lguy_mcw at yahoo.com

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com