Today after work, Steve and I headed out to find Short-Eared Owls north of King Ferry.
Just past the Tompkins Co Airport on Hillcrest Rd., a small flock of 12-15 SNOW BUNTINGS flew off the roadway. Our first good sign that we might find some SEO's was a male N. HARRIER flying over a weedy field on the east side of 34B just south of Rafferty Road, at about 1645. As we drove west on Rafferty, we saw a second N. HARRIER flying north up Dixon Road. Steve and I continued west on Rafferty, where we encountered Gary Kohlenberg on a similar mission. We agreed to part company, with Gary staying at the barn area on Rafferty, while we decided to follow the Harrier up Dixon Road. We stopped at a grassy field on the west, about halfway up Dixon. We did not have to wait long (and a good thing, as the temperature had dropped to 9o F). One SHORT-EARED OWL flew along the field. Its flight was fantastically acrobatic, twisting and turning, dropping to the ground and taking off again. It appeared to have caught something, as it stayed awhile on the ground quickly turning its head this way and that. When it went aloft again, we heard its screechy hiss, as a second SEO came into its hunting area; a brief chase ensued. A third owl came on the scene. We watched until the owls blended into the background with the rapidly fading light. The whole show lasted from about 1705 - 1720. We went back to Rafferty, where a 4th SEO fluttered across the road in front of us, and Gary had disappeared, leaving only tire tracks in the snow. We were disappointed, as we'd intended to invite Gary to Jake's Diner (formerly the Triangle) for dinner. We forced ourselves to go without him, and enjoyed the company of a restaurant packed with people, and good food besides. Good birding, Steve and Sue Fast -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
