Hello, tweets.

At least two of the Black-headed Grosbeaks that started the discussion
of postbreeding dispersal vs migration (or birds that look just like
them) were still in my yard as of this morning, continuous presence
since 20 August. I've never had so many in the yard for so long, so I
guess our feeder mix must be just right.

We have heard a Barred Owl every night since 25 August, always
exciting. Interestingly, we hear it call only a few times each night,
and then no more (of course we're asleep for most of the night). We've
heard it asking who cooks for us each night, except early one morning
it gave a series of long hooooooo calls. Previous records:

28 Nov 02
15 Feb-24 Mar 03
11 Dec 03
24 Feb 04
4 Mar 06
20 Nov 07
16-20 Apr 09
now 25-28 Aug 09

No real pattern in that, except records are more frequent during the
winter, and this is the first "summer" record. Only a few times have
we detected them on more than night in a row. I don't imagine these
are migrants, and they certainly aren't all postbreeding dispersers.
Doubtless there have been plenty of birds that I haven't detected, but
when they hoot in the next yard, or even our yard on a few occasions,
we sit up and take notice! I think when they're close enough, they
wake us up. Thornton Creek is behind us, and it is probably a
dispersal pathway.

Dennis
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Dennis Paulson
1724 NE 98 St.
Seattle, WA 98115
206-528-1382
dennispaulson at comcast.net