Subject: [Tweeters] screech owls - Seward Park and general Seattle trends
Date: Feb 25 19:22:34 2007
From: Stewart Wechsler - ecostewart at quidnunc.net


I've led a number of owl walks in Seward over the last 2 - 3 years and some
about 5 to 6 years ago. While one older participant told me that she used
to hear Screech Owls there years ago, I never saw or heard one in all those
owl walks. I played screech owl tapes a number of those times, though I
have been concerned that I might attract a screech only to bring in a Barred
to its dinner bell. I have heard of reports of Screech Owls in some of the
smaller wooded areas that don't seem like prime Barred Owl habitat to me.
I'm now wondering if the Screech Owls will be largely restricted to smaller
wooded patches that are used less by the Barred Owls. That said, I expect
if the Barred Owl population continues to grow, I imagine that they too
would start to use smaller wooded patches more than they currently seem to.

Stewart Wechsler
Ecological Consulting
West Seattle
206 932-7225
ecostewart at quidnunc.net

-Advice on the most site-appropriate native plants
and how to enhance habitat for the maximum diversity
of plants and animals
-Educational programs, nature walks and field trips
-Botanical Surveys


-----Original Message-----
From: Eugene and Nancy Hunn
Tweets,

I used to be able to find up to half-dozen territorial WESTERN
SCREECH-OWLs at Seward Park, mostly around the loop road on top, and quite
vocal in winter. I hadn't been there for quite a few years but tried a
couple of weeks ago on a fine night and had no responses. Has anyone heard
or seen screech-owls in Seward Park lately? If not, I fear it's a bit more
evidence that they are indeed suffering a widespread population decline in
western Washington.

On the other hand, early this morning one was calling in the ravine behind
my house. Last year I heard one February 25 until March 7, apparently a male
seeking in vain for a mate.
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