Hola,
Bart Frazier, Ian Topolsky, and I stopped by Rectortown this evening at
around five-thirty and saw a single Short-eared Owl over the field. I had
checked this spot at about the same time a week or so ago, 10 November, and
also
had a single Short-eared over the field. In truth, neither of these were
identified beyond Asio species, and in both cases the light was nearly gone,
but
the flight style was typical of Short-eared. I haven't seen enough Long-eareds
fly to say that I can honestly say it wasn't one, but since this field
sometimes has thirty Short-eareds, I'm thinking it was a Short-eared.
For anyone that is interested, this spot is in northern Fauquier County.
Rectortown is a little village about 4.5 miles north of Marshall. Marshall is
just north of I-66 where US 17 intersects from the south. If you find
Marshall, take Route 710 north 4.5 miles to the little hamlet of Rectortown.
Route
624 (Crenshaw Road) enters from the east. Turn here, and go one-half mile.
There's a roof on posts over a small field and sometimes a few bales of hay,
and next to it is a small parking lot. The lot has a cable across the
entrance, but the apron there has room for a few well-parked cars. This is
probably the best viewing spot.
Thus far there are no harriers coming to roost here in the evening, and only
one Short-eared, so it probably isn't worth anyone's time until after the
first of the year or so, when the number of owls might build, and often there's
a dozen or more harriers in the fray. But, if you are having a serious
jones for a Short-eared, head on out to Rectortown.
Cheers,
Todd
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Todd Michael Day
Jeffersonton, VA, USA
blkvulture@xxxxxxx
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