Vicki:

Wow, that's really different than what I've heard of Saw-whets over the
years, and the habitat you describe for them also seems a bit odd.

Saw-whets have a variety of notes but the "skieu" screech note and the
repetitive single toot note series are perhaps best known. I don't recall
ever hearing a Saw-whet giving a decending series of notes myself. I've
always thought that as far as pitch, Saw-whet and our local N. Pygmy Owls
are real close; but the Pygmy gives its notes singly (most often) with
pauses in between, whereas Saw-whets will after the skieu, whining note or
other starter will often drop into the familiar series, which is by contrast
usually given in a fairly fast, monotone series without pauses. Of course,
a N. Saw-whet is much more likely in the middle of the night, while N.
Pygmys are famous for dawn and dusk, or daytime, hooting. As far as
Saw-whet habitat, I've never heard anyone mention proximity of water; and in
our region mixed deciduous forest seems like it is mostly used in migration
and winter. I always think of dense young evergreens, or heavy coniferous
forest and edge, for our local Saw-whets, especially in breeding season.

The bird described in Bothell is therefore hard to place, but I wonder about
imm. W. Screech Owl, although one would expect a rising, not falling, note
series.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com