[va-richmond-general] Re: Owl
- From: "JANICE FRYE" <jjfdc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <jimvb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:17:10 -0500
Hi Jim,
We all have to sleep somewhere. I occasionally find barred owls perched
down pretty low in brushy, thick places at The Wetlands in JRPS. At Bryan
Park I have seen great horned owls head for similar cover when pestered by
small birds. It must be a little like having a fly buzzing around us during
a daytime nap. When not bothered by smallish birds (having seen a Cooper's
Hawk kick some feathered tail made me add the -ish) or construction I'm sure
both prefer to sleep in high cover. Daytime hooting is not terribly unusual
and may help you learn their routines, numbers and hangouts. A pair was
hooting at Huntley Meadows in NoVa this last Sunday. Hopefully the
developers haven't destroyed a preferred nesting location in your
neighborhood. If it was on the ground hunting maybe something has happened
with the food supply that has put pressure on it. In my experience, the
birds at the Wetlands will only hunt in broad daylight during ice and snow,
or they perch at the edge of the rising water when the James is in flood
(maybe an irresistible opportunity?) At times like that they might only be
twenty or so feet above the trail and they ignore me. Another time they are
prone to be close to me and not care is when there is enormous feeding
pressure with rapidly growing offspring. You have a very special neighbor.
Be observant and you might get to watch them (if there's a pair) raise their
young. Enjoy!
Jan
_____
From: va-richmond-general-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:va-richmond-general-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jim Blowers
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 12:38 PM
To: va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [va-richmond-general] Owl
Shortly before noon today, I went running in my neighborhood south of
Chester. I ran into the woods behind the swimming pool to check up on some
developers that were digging and causing noise in a nearby plot of land,
when all of a sudden, I heard a whoosh noise. I looked to the left and saw a
huge bird. I thought it was a hawk. But when I took a look at its front, I
saw a huge ellipse instead of a point, with large dark eyes in it. I think
that it was an owl. I looked in the bird book and concluded that it was a
barred owl. It was really huge, definitely larger than a red-shouldered
hawk. It did not have tufts, and its eyes were dark, ruling out a great
horned owl or a great gray owl. I didn't hear any "who cooks for you".
Unfortunately, I did not have my camera.
I am wondering how often owls come out in the daytime. I thought they were
strictly night birds. Perhaps I scared it from where it was with my running,
or perhaps the developers have it on the run.
Jim Blowers
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