Hi All,

November 26, 2011 at 8:45 pm, Larry Robinson heard fluttering against his
outside light in The Nile, Yakima County. He investigated and saw a small
owl fluttering at insects attracted to the warm light. The bird caught sight
of Larry and landed on a table three feet from him. He noted a very small
brownish owl, with dark eyes and tufts. Larry is familiar with the other
small owls in the region (Northern Pygmy-, Northern Saw-whet, and Western
Screech), all of which have yellow eyes. Those " black eyes as big as a
nickel" very much impressed Larry.

According to Birds of Washington (Wahl et al.), the latest recorded in
Washington was a bird found dead November 17 between Walla Walla and Dixie.
Larry and Doris live in a lovely home just a couple yards from Ponderosa
Pine forest. Flammulated Owls are known from the immediate area.

By the way, Birders throughout the area know the Robinson feeders as a very
good place on the Chinook Pass Highway to watch many birds, including
hummingbirds, finches, and White-headed Woodpeckers. Larry has, in the past,
learned to recognize the individual White-headed Woodpeckers coming to their
suet feeder!

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA
steppie at nwinfo.net