So far in March, my sightings of the roosting EASTERN SCREECH-OWL in our nest box in northeast Ithaca seem closely correlated with outdoor temperature.
Average daily temperature ? 23°F: Owl seen 12 out of 13 days, including yesterday and today Average daily temperature ? 28°F: Owl seen 0 out of 12 days (Temperatures are averaged for the 24-hour period preceding 8 AM of the given day.) Last night, I decided for the first time this winter to go into the yard to get a closer look at the owl at dusk, instead of viewing from inside our house. The owl, apparently unperturbed by me, trilled once around 7:40 PM and then, a few minutes later, flew across the yard and alighted in a tree about 12 meters away. I tried to savor every second of this fine view as if it would be the best and possibly the last one I'd have for a while. The owl spun its head 270 degrees a couple of times with unfathomable speed, as if discontinuously leaping from one quantum position to another. It also let out two streaks of whitewash that splashed quietly down onto leaf mulch and disappeared on the lingering snow. I lost the owl when it flew down around our compost bin, then swooped up and out of view. Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.com -- 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/ --
