We saw a Short-eared Owl in the same spot around 5 PM today, as well as a Great
Horned Owl perched in the nearby barn. The Short-ear was apparently hunting,
flying very close to the ground and then disappeared - perhaps caught something
and was on the ground? In the past, we have accidentally flushed more than one
that was eating on the ground near the road.
Yesterday, we got a distant look at a Rough-legged Hawk on Milne Road. It was
perched in the top of the trees that are near the house to the east of the
road, roughly halfway between Zion Church Road and Vadis Road. Finally, we saw
a dark morph Red-tailed Hawk in the trees next to the road across from the
barn.
What is it about that stretch of Milne Road that attracts so many birds of
prey? We regularly drive through the fields north of Hillsboro/Cornelius/Forest
Grove, and while we do happen upon raptors, but nowhere near the frequency and
diversity that we find on Milne Road.
Julia & Cooper Richert
Hillsboro, OR
On Jan 25, 2016, at 7:42 PM, Susan Deagle <sdeagle@xxxxxxx> wrote:
We went to Ridgefield NWR today and was told by the Booth Guy that if we
wanted to see a Short-eared owl, we needed to get there at 7 am when the
refuge opens. Just as we were departing, at dusk, a beautiful Short-eared owl
perched on a post near the straight stretch at the end of the driving loop.
It sat near us, close to the road, flew a bit ahead and landed on another
post before flying away. What a treat! It was a lifer for both my husband and
me.
Susie Deagle
On Jan 25, 2016, at 3:42 PM, Steve Engel <Steve.Engel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Steve Engel, Nature Program Supervisor
Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve | Parks and Recreation Department
phone 503-681-6283 |fax 503-681-6277
web www.hillsboro-oregon.gov/ParksRec |Twitter @hillsboroparks |Facebook
A CAPRA Nationally Accredited Park and Recreation Agency
Sunday eve, 1/24, around 5pm two short-eared owls were observed in the
fields east of Milne Rd. in Washington County. They were a few hundred
yards distant and flying about very energetically, low down, and
occasionally going to ground very briefly. They were south and east of the
farmstead that is at the junction of Milne and NW Harrison.
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