Dear Tweeters and Inland NW Birders,

After an exchange of messages with some knowledgeable birders in SW Washington, I must retract my report of a Flammulated Owl from last week at Fields Spring State Park.

I am still pretty sure that that is what I heard, but the possibility exists that I was hearing a distant Long-eared Owl, with the sound distorted. The utter lack of any precedent for Flammulated Owl's occurring here in early April also makes me chary.

I will let it go as "owl species," and sleep with good conscience. Now for the ugly task of making big, nasty black "X" marks in my field notebook.

Sorry!

I would love it if some Asotin County birders ran up to the park and found out what that "hoo" call really is.


May I remain,

Your most obedient humble servant,

Gary Bletsch



Gary Bletsch?Near Lyman, Washington (Skagit County), USA?garybletsch at yahoo.com?Mentre che li occhi per la fronda verde
ficcava ?o s? come far suole
chi dietro a li uccellin sua vita perde, lo pi? che padre mi dicea: ?Figliuole,
vienne oramai, ch? ?l tempo che n?? imposto
pi? utilmente compartir si vuole?.??


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