Hi Tweets,

I guess there can be some good things that come of getting up too early on snowy mornings. My partner Marissa
got up at 6:00 this morning and looked out the window to check the snow situation. Just before she turned away
she saw a movement and she called out "Jim, there's an owl in the maple tree". Normally I'm hard to get out of
bed but this was motivation enough and I jumped out of bed and joined her at the window. We keep the binoculars
and scope at that window, which is a large, west-facing window. A huge Big-leaf Maple in our front yard has
branches which can be seen even from this side yard window.

I expected to see a Great Horned Owl perched there, but instead a tiny little owl shape was perfectly sillouhetted
against the white snow sky. Marissa had the bins on the owl, which turned out to be a Screech Owl. Marissa
handed me the bins as she put the scope on it and happily for us it stayed on its perch for several minutes and we
got to see it in the scope. Due to the snow and streetlights there was just enough light to make out the tiny ear tufts,
the yellow eyes and the streaked underparts. It was very alert and constantly moving its head around as it
searched for prey. Eventually it shited on its perch, to face the other way, and a few moments later took off very
rapidly and flew south over the neighbor's house.

Last August we were awoken by the call of a Screech-Owl in this same tree, but I would have bet against seeing or
hearing a Screech again at our place. Our street (and the entire neighborhood) is a typical city, single family residence
area without any nearby greenbelts or wetlands. Lincoln Park (which had or maybe still has) Screech Owls is a mile away
and Fauntleroy Park is perhaps a 1/2 mile or so away. Has anyone seen Screech Owls in West Seattle in the last year
or so? Its nice to know there are still at least a few around.

good birding,

Jim Flynn
merlinmania at comcast.net
Seattle, WA