The resident Barred Owl at Gold Creek, Kitsap County has a family. Instead of the one owl hooting I usually hear, today there were two. Then, as I saw one owl fly through the canopy to perch on a high branch, and heard the second one making high-pitched double hoots further back in the wood, I noticed a third one! It perched on a different tree, slightly higher, and had that fledgling look about it.

I know the Barred Owl is becoming a threat to the genetic integrity of the Spotted Owl; but Gold Creek is not Spotted Owl habitat. The only other large owls I might possibly expect there would be Great Horned Owls, and they would likely see a Barred Owl more as prey than competitor.

Jason Hernandez
Bremerton
jason.hernandez74 at yahoo.com