I went into the large field across the road from my house at 1030 this morning to see what might go over. I saw 2 local RED-TAILED HAWKS being harassed by some of the local CROWS, BLUEBIRDS singing, and 2 RAVENS soaring about. Then a largish bird flew in from the south, red-tail size, dark brown above and light below, but with long wings and deep, deliberate wingbeats that also showed a slight hesitation. Did not recognize it. I tried to classify it as doing some kind of courtship flying, but that didn't work. I watched it till it disappeared to the NW, arguing and cursing my inability to assign a name to it, because I knew I had seen that flight pattern before. Something FINALLY clicked and I shouted SHORT-EARED OWL. This is a milestone as I have been watching this field, dawn and dusk, for years for this species and now I had it flying right by me couldn't put it together for a while. It's all in what you expect to appear. About 15 minutes later, another brown bird popped over the trees, same line as the owl, but this was my FOY RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. And finally, I collected a few stoneflies on my scope lens--Spring is coming!
Steve Fast Brooktondale -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
