I have been frustrated trying to get a good look at the legs on the adult male Burrowing Owl along Dodson Road. Diann MacRae saw a band on the bird in May (the male there last year was banded and may be the same individual), but her look was at a tucked leg with barely a view of a blue or green band. I have been there a half dozen times and haven't yet had a clear view. The location is on the east side of Dodson Road about a half mile north of Frenchman Hills Road (Birder's Corner). The female has been pretty easy to see, often perching at the top of the Russian-olive near the burrow. There are at least two fledged young, and any count of young or total owls there will help also. If any of you are in that area take a look. Left leg color band. Read what you can, but even the color of the band will help. (There is a Black Tern working the wetland to the south and duck broods showing up.)

As the owls disperse and blend broods with fledged young, the monitoring that my daughter and I are doing is coming to an end. We are somewhere near 100 territories from the Othello and Moses Lake area. But reporting any Burrowing Owls seen in the area from Quincy/George to Moses Lake to Othello will be helpful. Please report banded birds right away as I will follow up on any new reports. Band color and left or right leg of the ACRAFT color band is important. I have three owls this year with dirty or worn color bands that could not be read, but I could read enough of the aluminum band to figure out which individual I was looking at. Unbanded bird locations are also helpful for future monitoring. Thanks.

Randy Hill
Othello