There was a Great Gray Owl that spent one winter in the late 1990's at
Bridle Trails State Park, basically just across Lake Washington from the
Arboretum, in north Bellevue. Bridle Trails is about 3/4ths of a square
mile of mostly second-growth timber (Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock, and
Western Red Cedar, primarily). It is therefore a bit different from the
Arboretum, but not so different as to make the idea of an Arbortetum Great
Gray seem absurd. That said, a mis-identified Barred Owl is most likely. A
King County Great Gray would be much appreciated, however.

== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland, WA
== http://www.marymoor.org/birding.htm
== birdmarymoor at verizon.net

----- Original Message -----
From: "Larry Schwitters" <lpatters at ix.netcom.com>
To: "Scott Downes" <downess at charter.net>
Cc: <Tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2007 8:05 PM
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] re: Seattle Great Gray Owl


> Scott and Tweeters,
>
> I've had the same thoughts. Of course it's possible, and the Arboretum is
> close and easy for us Puget Sounders to get to, but has not the vast
> majority of Tweetersville been reluctant to approach this as a probable
> sighting? Has a Great Gray ever been recorded in urban King County? Your
> average non birder is doing well to get the owl part right, and a big gray
> owl is pretty close to a Great one.
>
> Then there is Gary Bletsch who gives a very thoughtful and in depth
> description of a Pochard-like duck on Samish Island. He begs for others
> to get involved and is largely ignored. How come?
>
> Larry Schwitters
> Issaquah
>
>
>
>
> On Oct 16, 2007, at 7:03 PM, Scott Downes wrote:
>
>> Tweets,
>> I don't want to rain on anybody's parade. Seeing reports of a "pale
>> Barred
>> Owl" in the area and the observer was a novice or non-birder; John did
>> you
>> hear any details from your co-worker that would eliminate Barred Owl over
>> Great Gray? To a beginner they could look quite similar and obviously
>> there
>> is a Barred in the park already. Not saying the Great Gray is a Barred
>> just
>> a likely possibility is all and Great Gray is quite rare in urban King
>> Co.
>>
>> Scott Downes
>> downess at charter.net
>> Yakima WA
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Tweeters mailing list
>> Tweeters at u.washington.edu
>> http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Tweeters mailing list
> Tweeters at u.washington.edu
> http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters