Subject: [Tweeters] Eide Rd. Short-eared Owls
Date: Dec 26 12:49:31 2012
From: Barbara Deihl - barbdeihl at comcast.net


Got up to Stanwood's Eide Rd. as dusk was drifting in, but that meant that the Short-eared Owls were starting to be quite active. I first started hearing the barking and other calls of the SEOW and the Northern Harriers (both male and female were there). The Shortears (at least 4) seemed to emerge from the very western border of the Eide field, and soon the floppy dancing began. I was thrilled - always am - this never gets old. Soon they spread all over the field and came closer and closer to me as I watched from the parking area. Occasionally one or 2 would swing right by me, maybe 15 ft. away. Oh, for a real camera! My point & shoot certainly has its limits, but also some advantages. I could spend more time observing the whole scene and then go for some vista shots of the landscape, and finally, when an owl or hawk would alight, I could attempt some digiscoped shots, which occasionally come out nicely. But just being out there was well worth the late drive. Only one hunter and dog were also in the area, but the only shots I heard, were a few distant ones down Thomle way, at the end of the hunting day. Other raptors I saw at Eide, included 2 Red-tailed Hawks, one light Rough-legged Hawk and one Cooper's Hawk.

I did head down to Thomle at 4:30, but darkness prevented me from seeing any Snowy Owls that might have been out in the field or on a dike. I did flush one Short-eared Owl as I drove back out to Marine Dr., and passed the solitary metal shed on my left. It flew off to the west, across the field, out of sight.

As some light rain started up as I drove back the peacefulness of the afternoon swept over me, especially as I drove slowly down Norman Rd. past the farms, the holiday lights acting as guides across the valley. Once on I-5, minimal traffic made the drive home quick and easy - no temptation to speed this time :-)

For photos of "An Eide Eve", click on this flickr link: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjDmwmk5


Barb Deihl

North Matthews Beach - NE Seattle

barbdeihl at comcast.net