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Comments on Brewer's B and Snowy Owl



An observer asked about a possible Brewer's Blackbird in the Charlotte
area. The description doesn't seem right for Brewer's male, which is
normally purplish on the head and bronzy on the breast. The eye color is
normally quite white or reasonably brilliant. The habitat is the best
"field mark". Brewer's are USUALLY in and around LARGE cattle feedlots
or pastures. Of course, they can and do perch in trees, but usually in
or around the edge of a big pasture. I've seen one in Tyrrell County in
a huge plowed field, and the flock with cattle in Carteret County. I've
yet to see a Brewer's in NC away from the coast. When I was at Clemson,
SC, I saw it about 5 times -- always around cattle. Your best hope for
seeing the species in the Carolinas is to find areas where cattle are
feeding. Of course, it is a very rare migrant here, so 99-100% of such
blackbirds will be cowbirds, Com. Grackles, and Red-wingeds, plus maybe
an occasional Rusty (not to mention non-blackbird Starlings).

I agree with a number of recent postings about the unlikehood of Snowy
Owl being seen only at night, perched on tree branches, apparently in
Chapel Hill or at least a residential area. Snowies should be in the
largest open area in the vicinity, and they do not normally perch on
limbs. They would perch on poles, barns, and of course on the ground.
They would normally be seen during the day. I'm not stating anything
that others haven't already, but just add me to the list. The big
question is: Had all of us birders in the Triangle NOT seen the Snowy
Owl at Fort Fisher already (last November), would we be trekking to
Chapel Hill to look for this owl??!! Some of us are clearly jaded now --
seen one Snowy in NC, don't need to go chasing after another reported
one. But, as Chair of the NC Bird Records Committee, I'm interested in
what the inland bird might be -- a leucistic Barred Owl maybe (as has
been suggested), or Barn Owl (ditto).

Harry LeGrand

P.S. There are quite a few coastal records of Snowy Owl in NC, so I am
not sure if the Committee will vote on the Fort Fisher bird. It isn't
essential that we do so. We may, as we have excellent photos. We
defintely should vote on Snowy Owl inland.