Subject: [Tweeters] Hawk Owl in Okanogan County
Date: Dec 15 17:24:01 2008
From: Heather - heathwin at yahoo.com


Hi Tweeters:

A Hawk Owl was sighted by one of our intrepid Okanogan resident birders, Gordon Kent (and our CBC compiler...).? I'll let him know about the Hawk Owl that was at Hart's Pass in Sept/Oct.? This one is up the Buzzard Lake Road...maybe we'll catch it in our CBC!

Heather F.
Okanogan WA
heathwin at yahoo.com


From Gordon:

Birdheads-
My daughter, Laila, and I? were walking back from the mailbox last weekend when an owl flew over our heads and landed in a tree 20 feet away.? He was eating a gopher that was splayed out on a low branch.? The lighting kind of sucked and I had no binocs but my mind was turning.? As it was midday, it probably was a pygmy owl, a really big pygmy owl.? No, too big.? The only other diurnal owl that seemed possible was a hawk owl and I noticed dark streaks on the side of its face and kind of a longish tail and it was quite tame or simply fixated on its meal.? I was batting this ID around all week and finally had to shrug and let go:? probably a hawk owl, but not positive- why don't I pack my 'nocs with me more often?
Well, today, on this frigid afternoon, the bird gods gave me another chance.? I was on my tractor, plowing my driveway when I noticed a dark blob on top of a small aspen tree, bathed in afternoon glow with an azure background.? I drove up to the house, grabbed my spotting scope, and settled the score.? A hawk owl with the sun glinting in his eyes, icy wind ruffling his feathers.? Nice.? I have only seen one of these once before up in northern B.C. ten years ago.?
I thought you might like to know and wonder if there have been other sightings this winter.? CBC in two weeks; see you there.

gordon