[texbirds] Short-eared Owl at LANWR (Cameron Co.) January 6, 2013
- From: "Rex Stanford" <calidris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "TEXBIRDS" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2013 22:55:57 -0600
This evening (01/06/13), shortly before sunset, as we traveled southbound on
Buena Vista road, perhaps 2-3 miles south of its intersection with FM-106,
we observed a Short-eared Owl crossing the road from west to east (moving
onto Laguna Atascosa NWR territory at that point) and then patrolling a
large, very grassy, meadow, sometimes searching low over the grass and
sometimes higher. In this same area we a short time before had seen a
Northern Harrier on patrol, sometimes being harassed by and sometimes
harassing another raptor who, at one point, fled from the Harrier so swiftly
that we were unable to identify it. We mention the harrier here because
those wishing to find the regionally quite rare Short-eared Owl winter
visitant often would do well to study carefully, late in the day, the same
grassy areas being patrolled by the Northern Harrier. We had, during the
five years since we moved to South Texas, not previously seen Short-eared
Owl, but we knew very well from numerous encounters with that owl in New
York and New Jersey during winter, that habitat favored by Harriers often
are favored by Short-eared Owl.
Thanks to sharp-eyed Birgit for spotting this exciting bird while I was
busy, as the driver, trying to spot and avoid the many potholes on Buena
Vista Road. (We would note that much of FM-106 presently is also pocked with
potholes, and in some areas of that road they are very treacherous, indeed.)
Rex and Birgit Stanford
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- » [texbirds] Short-eared Owl at LANWR (Cameron Co.) January 6, 2013 - Rex Stanford
