With a falling barometer and winds at the upper limit for owling for small
owls, I took a group from Seattle Audubon out for a morning of owling on
Bainbridge. Participants took the 0210 ferry from Seattle, and met me at my
banding station at Islandwood, where we were permitted access. Temperature
remained at 43 degrees throughout the night, with winds noticeable,
particularly at higher elevations on the south end of the Island. The sky
was overcast, but light, allowing for most to see saw-whets do silent
flyovers. Sound carried fairly well. Conditions did not approach the
perfect conditions of last weekend for owling.



Prior to meeting up with the group, I had a tooting (male) Northern Saw-whet
Owl in the Grand Forest, and an unknown Barn or Barred Owl fly across SR
305.



As we walked into Islandwood, Gus, the resident male Barred Owl, was
calling, and his presumed mate answered. I did not detect any Northern
Saw-whet Owls at Islandwood, and after 3 empty net runs, took down the
nets. Gus also put in his usual appearance, treated the group to a photo
shoot on two occasions, and went into a brief caterwauling session with his
mate.



After closing up the nets and leaving Islandwood, our first stop was near
Restoration Point, in the Seattle CBC circle, where the group heard a female
Northern saw-whet Owl chirp and wail several times, and a brief stint of
tooting from the male. Try as I might, I could not convince either bird
into view.



We aborted the next stop at my other banding station due to high winds.



A Northern Saw-whet at the next stop responded almost instantly nearby, but
went silent after several chirps. A search with night vision revealed a
Barred Owl perched in a cedar near the road on the opposite side. This was
one of my banded birds that I had not detected in some time. She also gave
the group several photo ops.

The two stops that were dedicated to detecting a Barn Owl were in vain. A
stop at the Grand Forest produced an inquisitive Northern Saw-whet that made
several flyovers. The group relocated twice in an effort to coax this bird
into view. The bird finally landed nearby and low, but still unseen through
night vision. Reluctantly, I used my spotlight to try to get the bird
visible to the owlers. The bird spooked, and flew off through the forest,
providing a short look to most of a flying saw-whet. Several in the group
had seen this bird make passes overhead in response to my calls. There were
probably two Northern Saw-whets a this stop that we detected.



At another stop while attempting to call in a Northern Saw-whet Owl, a Great
Horned Owl called distantly three times from the proximity of 305.



The last stop was a hope for a "late night" Northern Saw-whet, only to have
a Barred Owl fly in as soon as I arrived. This was another of my banded
Barred Owls, a female that I had not detected since last July. While she
provided another photo op, it was not the Northern Saw-whet Owl that I had
hoped to find for the group..



In all, the group detected 4 BARRED OWLs, 1 GREAT HORNED OWL, and 5 NORTHERN
SAW-WHET OWLs.



J. Acker

owler at sounddsl.com

Bainbridge Island, WA