----- Forwarded Message -----
>From: Gary Bletsch <garybletsch at yahoo.com>
>To: Jack Stephens <jstephens62 at comcast.net>
>Cc: Tweeters-alerts <tweeters-alerts at u.washington.edu>
>Sent: Friday, September 19, 2014 6:24 AM
>Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Owls on the offensive
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>Dear Jack and Tweeters,
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>I would bet that the attackers are Barred Owls. They are well known to do that. I don't recall hearing about Great Horned Owls (GHOW) doing this. Maybe they do, but I think it's rare. Whenever they've nested in popular parks and wildlife areas that I have frequented, the GHOWs just glare at the passersby and go about their business.
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>Barred Owls have been attacking people in the Anacortes Forest Lands for years. Soaring Eagle Park and some other parks in King County have had enough attacks that parks have been closed for periods of time. I have heard that Barred Owls go after female joggers; one hypothesis is that the ladies' ponytails might look like rodents. I am not making this up!
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>A Eurasian relative of the Barred Owl is the Ural Owl. The Scandinavians call it "Slaguggla," which translates to "attacking owl." Birders over there know not to approach the nest site if they value their eyeballs.
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>Yours truly,
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>Gary
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>>________________________________
>> From: Jack Stephens <jstephens62 at comcast.net>
>>To: Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
>>Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2014 9:32 PM
>>Subject: [Tweeters] Owls on the offensive
>>
>>
>>I have had two non-birders ask me why owls are diving at, and
>>occasionally hitting, people walking through woodland areas. These are
>>two different locations, on Whidbey Island and in Mukilteo. I am not
>>sure what species, by report they are large so that would imply either
>>Barred or Great Horned. What puzzles me is that it is happening at this
>>time of year. Nest defense seems the obvious reason, but why would this
>>be occurring
now, long after the young have presumably fledged? Could it
>>be they were inspired by late-night Hitchcock reruns? Could this be ARAB
>>(Autumnal Recrudescence of Amatory Behavior)? Any information is welcome.
>>
>>Jack Stephens
>>Edmonds, WA
>>jstephens62 at comcast.net
>>_______________________________________________
>>Tweeters mailing list
>>Tweeters at u.washington.edu
>>http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
>>
>>
>>
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