Re the owl pellet question,? could it be that the owls are crushing the skulls beyond recognition?? -Rolan

Rolan Nelson
Fircrest, WA
rnbuffle at yahoo.com

--- On Tue, 2/22/11, Tucker, Trileigh <TRI at seattleu.edu> wrote:


From: Tucker, Trileigh <TRI at seattleu.edu>
Subject: [Tweeters] Owl-pellet skulls AND birding opportunity in Japan
To: "tweeters at u.washington.edu" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Date: Tuesday, February 22, 2011, 9:11 PM


Hi Tweeters,

First, the Japanese item. My friend and fellow birder Chuck Pell is signed up for a birding (and sperm-whale-watching) excursion between Tokyo and one of the nearby islands, and I offered to pass along the information to Tweeters in hopes that some of you may also be interested. Here?s the information from Chuck; if you?re interested, please contact me at tri<at>seattleu<dot>edu, and I?ll put you directly in touch with Chuck for more info.


*****
Description: a six day cruise to Ogasawara Islands that includes a day of sailing around Torishima and Mukojima in search of Short-tailed Albatross and Sperm Whales. ?Ogasawara Kaiun, the company that runs the ferry between Tokyo and the Ogasawaras is offering this cruise as a special event. ?Dates are departure from Tokyo on April 8 at 10:00, returning on April 13 at 3:30 PM.

Basic cost for the cruise is ?59,000 (about $725 US) with additional expenses for higher cabin class or ?and food, depending on options chosen. ?Each passenger is also responsible for one night's lodging on Chichijima and a second night on either Chichijima or Hahajima. ?These are island in the Ogasawara group. ?The draw for Hahajima is that it is almost a sure thing to see the Bonin Honeyeater, another Japanese National Natural Treasure. ?Of course, air fare to Japan is additional.

I think this is a rare opportunity to visit the area and the price is pretty reasonable. ?I will be in Tokyo several days before the cruise starts and would be happy to introduce interested people to some good birding in the Chiba area, just outside of Tokyo. ?Timing should be good for the Spring shorebird migration. ?I will of course be happy to provide additional information or answer any questions.

Regards,
Chuck
*****

Second, a local birding question. Under one of the local Barred Owl?s favorite hangout trees are at least 6-7 pellets in various stages of disintegration. None of them seem to contain a skull, though there are lots of other bones. Only once in the past three years or so have I found what I think is a skull in a local owl pellet. What happens to the skulls? Or have I just happened not to find them/not been looking carefully enough?

Thank you,
Trileigh

* * * * *
Trileigh Tucker
Lincoln Park, West Seattle



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