[TN-Bird] Anderson County Barred Owl experience

From: Carole Gobert <cpgobert@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Tennessee Bird List <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:37:14 -0400
Got a rather late start (10:15) this morning at Clark Center Park/Gallaher Bend 
in Oak Ridge, TN (Anderson Co.) but had the most wonderful experience there.  I 
walked around the park and to just past the first clearing in the woods at the 
rear of the park (Gallaher Bend Greenway), a distance of about 8/10 of a mile 
from the entrance to the greenway, and was on my way back when movement in the 
tree tops and some birds calling got my attention.  I had been peering into the 
tree tops for about 10 minutes when an adult Barred Owl lifted up off the 
ground about 30 feet from me and landed on a branch beside the trail.  The owl 
was perched at eye level and other than staring at me for a brief period did 
not seem to mind my presence.  Eventually it flew down to the leaf litter 
beside the trail and pounced on something.  The owl then stood there staring at 
me for maybe a minute before flying toward me and landing on a branch directly 
opposite me about 20 feet back in the woods.  I didn't have a clear view as 
there was a small tree between us but I managed to make out a second owl 
sitting beside the adult.... a very downy young owl!!  So I had been standing 
20 feet from this young owl for 10 minutes or so and never knew it was there.  
The adult (I assume it was a female) was feeding the young one.  After she flew 
again down the trail a short distance and perched, I stepped back a couple feet 
and had a clear view of the young one through the leaves.  I kept expecting the 
mother to attack me at any moment but I guess she had decided I was harmless.  
Now the young one was staring at me from 20 feet away, eye level.  After about 
10 minutes I decided to give them their privacy so I left.  In doing so I had 
to walk right past the tree where the female was now perched just above the 
trail.  I thought for sure she would move away but she just sat there (10 feet 
away) and watched me go.

 

The owls were very near to the entrance to the greenway, within about 500 feet 
of it though not visible from the entrance as the road curves.

 

I think I saw some other birds too but I can scarcely remember after that bit 
of excitement.  Good thing I wrote them down:

Location:     Gallaher Bend/Clark Center Park
Observation date:     6/11/10
Number of species:     33

Canada Goose     39
Great Blue Heron     1
Black Vulture     1
Turkey Vulture     1
Osprey     1     sitting on nest
Mourning Dove     4
Barred Owl     2     adult and fledgling
Belted Kingfisher     1
Downy Woodpecker     1
Acadian Flycatcher     2
Eastern Phoebe     1
Eastern Kingbird     2
White-eyed Vireo     1
Red-eyed Vireo     5
American Crow     1
Carolina Chickadee     1
Tufted Titmouse     4
Carolina Wren     3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     2
Eastern Bluebird     6
Wood Thrush     3
Northern Mockingbird     1
Brown Thrasher     5
Cedar Waxwing     1
Hooded Warbler     2
Eastern Towhee     2
Chipping Sparrow     2
Song Sparrow     3
Scarlet Tanager     2     glimpse of one male
Northern Cardinal     5
Indigo Bunting     1
Brown-headed Cowbird     6
American Goldfinch     2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)


Carole Gobert, Knoxville, Tennessee

 
                                          
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[TN-Bird] Anderson County Barred Owl experience

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