Interesting. I've lived a half block from Matthews Beach Park and the
mouth of Thornton Creek since 1986, but I can't remember ever
hearing any owls except for a very occasional Great Horned in this
neighborhood. No Screech or Barred, ever. Probably not enough woods
left in this area to support many owls, but I'd think the best spot
locally for Screech might be up the hill, in the alder ravine
carrying a creek tributary down out of the "Wedgewood Plateau". Maybe
Dennis P. has heard them up in that area?

Anyway, hopefully others will post their experiences with owls over
the years within the Seattle urban/suburban zone. Maybe there are
still a few pockets of owl-dom out there...

The number of Band-tailed Pigeons in this neighborhood has also
declined. Up until 3-4 years ago I used to hear them moving around in
the trees almost daily, especially in the summer, and they likely
nested. But the last few years they are only occasionally noted here.

Mark



>Stewart, tweets,
>
>I saw Barred Owls in the vicinity of the screeh-owl territories
>quite a few years ago. I suspect Great Horned Owls are only sporadic
>visitors and not an issues. My back yard Screech-Owl has a resident
>pair of Barreds to contend with also.
>
>Does anyone know of good cases of Barred and Screech in peaceful coexistence?
>
>Gene Hunn.
>18476 47th Pl. NE
>Lake Forest Park, WA 98155
>enhunn323 at comcast.net
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <mailto:ecostewart at quidnunc.net>Stewart Wechsler
>To: <mailto:enhunn323 at comcast.net>Eugene and Nancy Hunn ;
><mailto:tweeters at u.washington.edu>tweeters at u.washington.edu
>Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2007 7:22 PM
>Subject: RE: [Tweeters] screech owls - Seward Park and general Seattle trends
>
>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.


--
Mark Egger
Seattle, WA
USA
mailto:m.egger at comcast.net