Sorry - the other emails went out before I could spell check them somehow.
On Nov 20, 2016, at 11:19 PM, Jeff Gilligan <jeffgilligan10@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
(Here is an example of Little Owl from somewhere other than NW Europe. It
is a lot different from the Northwestern European birds.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=little+owl&view=detailv2&&id=BF6AF12B0D72225255742593F8D60B9CAAAA9FC7&selectedIndex=44&ccid=cGzNFDhL&simid=608005926832046722&thid=OIP.M706ccd14384b581d3c59303844fdb7d3H0&ajaxhist=0
This bird is very much unlike the Boiler Bay bird, but it does demonstrate
that the species is variable.
Are there photos of the Boiler Bay bird's underparts?
Jeff Gilligan
On Nov 20, 2016, at 11:06 PM, Jeff Gilligan <jeffgilligan10@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I mainly raised the matter just for a discussion. Burrowing Owl is much
more likely. It would have to be a Burrowing Owl that flew out over the
ocean and found its way back to land. Less likely would be a Little Own
that made it across the Pacific (ship assisted or otherwise ). I wouldn't
be sure though that the Little Owls photos on-line from Britain or Western
Europe would be like the Little Owls in the Gobi Desert. I don't have
resources at Depoe Bay and may not in Portland to see what desert or steppe
Little Owls look like. We know though that some owls in North America vary
greatly regionally, such as Great-horned Owls that vary a great deal within
its large range. The range of Little Owls is even larger, and includes very
different habitats and climates.
Was it seen first flying in off the ocean?
Jeff Gilligan
On Nov 20, 2016, at 10:31 PM, David Irons <LLSDIRONS@xxxxxxx> wrote:
George,
This owl is beyond the fence at Boiler Bay. It basically flew in and landed
while a bunch of birders were standing only fifty feet away. It was then
seen and photographed by probably 200 people (perhaps many more than that).
Many of the folks who saw it were non-birders. It is one roosting bird that
is not at a nest site. It was just sitting there. The upside of being able
to introduce non-birders to a bird like a Burrowing Owl probably outweighs
the human impact on it, which today seemed pretty minimal. Once it landed
this morning, it never flew and between about 8:30AM and 3:00PM it moved a
grand total of about three feet. I think it is more stressed by being cold
and wet than it was from having an adoring audience. One guy played a
recording of a Burrowing Owl in an attempt to get the bird to turn its head
for photos. He was confronted almost immediately and informed that using
playback in a case like this was not cool.
Good luck trying to get folks not to look at this bird or take photos. It
would take someone standing there all day trying to herd folks away from
the bird. As it is, you can't get any closer than about 30 feet away
without going over the fence. No one seemed intent on doing that today.
If it was overly stressed today, it will likely find another day roost
tomorrow. If it's back in the same spot, then it is probably safe to assume
it isn't too worried about the onlookers.
As for the Little Owl speculations, I think we can safely put those to bed.
I've looked at a number of Asian field guides, as well as photos of Little
Owls online. They are streaked and not mottled below and the brown in their
plumage is much warmer and reddish brown, think Red Fox Sparrow (Little
Owl) vs. Sooty Fox Sparrow (Burrowing Owl). Burrowing Owls are more solidly
dark with pale spots on the breast and have lateral barring/mottling on the
lower breast and belly. The brown in their plumage is darker and duskier
than the more russet brown in the plumage of a Little Owl, which is
streaked below. It also appears that Burrowing Owls are more gray and
darker through the face than Little Owls. I have full-frame photos of the
Boiler Bay Owl and there is nothing about its appearance that suggests its
anything but a Burrowing Owl. I will post one to the "Birding Oregon"
Facebook page for those who wish to check it out.
Dave Irons
Portland, OR
Dave Irons
From: obol-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <obol-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf of
George Neavoll <gneavoll@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, November 21, 2016 5:00 AM
To: obol
Subject: [obol] Burrowing Owl at Boiler Bay
Are we getting too close to the owl?It won't make any difference if it's a
Burrowing or Little if it flies away.
George Neavoll
S.W. PortlandPOST: Send your post to obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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