Subject: [Tweeters] screech owls - Seward Park and general Seattle trends
Date: Feb 27 17:44:12 2007
From: squeakyfiddle at aol.com - squeakyfiddle at aol.com


I walk in Seward almost daily and have done so for the past 5 or 6 years. I'm often there either at dawn or dusk. Alas, I have never heard a Screech Owl there.

Catherine Alexander
Lakewood Neighborhood
South Seattle

-----Original Message-----
From: ecostewart at quidnunc.net
To: enhunn323 at comcast.net; tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Sun, 25 Feb 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
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-----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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