Dear Tweeters,

The topic of a possible resurgence or recovery in Western Screech Owls came up on Tweeters the other day. I don't remember the specifics, but my two cents would be that they seem harder to find today in Skagit County than they used to be.

For example, they used to be reliable near Concrete in the 1990's, but I have not been able to find them there, despite many searches, over the last dozen or so years.

I also used to bump into one now and then while owling in various places in the Upper Skagit, even sometimes just while birding at dusk. That does not happen any more.

A pair of them near Hamilton turned up a few years ago, but they seem to have abandoned that area.

I have never found one west of Hamilton, although I am told that one did show up at Milltown near Conway a few years ago.

The only reliable place I know of for this species in Skagit County is Illabot Creek Road, and that is a long drive for almost anyone. Last I heard, the powers that be were considering whether or not to allow that road to fall apart and return to nature. That might help the owls, but it would make it that much harder for birders to find them.

Yours truly,

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?.??