Yesterday afternoon I made a tape (actually a CF card) of Chuck-will's
Widow and Eastern Screech Owl, planning on finding the CWWI that Kurt
Gaskill has reported then looking for an ESOW in Manassas that Sue Heath
told me about. This was the first time I have tried this. I got to the
dirt road at Joplin and Liming Rds around 9 and within a couple minutes
heard the Will, no need for the recording. So I went out in the little
field there and stood around feeling pleased, and looked up just in time
to see a bird 6 feet away and headed right at my head. I instintively
ducked and as it went over me it made a soft, kind of mewling sound. I
heard no wing noise and thought, Owl? I didn't see it approach the second
time but it didn't whack me (to borrow Brenda Tekin's description), and it
made that sound again only slightly louder and longer. I thought I had
stepped on some critter and it took a second to realize it was the bird;
another avian ventriloquist. I saw the third approach, again right at my
head. I ducked and skedaddled out of there, yes sir.
After a couple minutes I decided it was safe to get out of the car. I
figured the bird could have the field and I would get the road. What
better way to determine if it was a Screech Owl than to play the tape?
Well, the bird didn't understand the deal. It came zooming right in before
the call was even over. The sound this bird made was intriguing, almost
beautiful, and it only vocalized when it was right on top of me.
After a few minutes I decided it was safe to get out of the car. When I
did I heard an ESOW calling from a distance away, not right at the field.
I didn't play the tape any more and the bird made one more pass, but
higher up. I'm thinking that it was a female ESOW and has a nest nearby,
but I don't really know. About the only visual clue I got was that it was
about the right size.
I considered grabbing a flashlight and going back out, but was concerned
about 1) the ethics of it, since it is still breeding season, and 2)
spending the night in the ER getting stitched up. My question is, how much
risk is there in this situation? Would you have gone back out?
Good birding,
John Fox
Arlington
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