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More internet reports of winter invaders
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: More internet reports of winter invaders
- From: Joshua Stuart Rose <jsr6@duke.edu>
- Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 12:43:55 -0400 (EDT)
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
Hi Carolinabirders,
Just thought I'd pass along a few more hints of this winter being a big
one for irruptive species:
Washington and Oregon birders have reported a Northern Shrike and a Snowy
Owl, both very early, and a King Eider and a Northern Hawk-Owl, both very
rare northern vagrants in the region.
A Bohemian Waxwing was reported from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. This
species only rarely reaches Mass., rarely enough that I still don't have
one for my state list (but I'll be home for Thanksgiving...).
Owl banding stations on Berry, South, and Second Mountains in
Pennsylvania have captured 140 Northern Saw-whet Owls so far this fall.
The same three stations, by this time last fall, had captured 3. Their
entire total for the season last fall was a little over 70. I'll paste
some instructions for locating NSWOs from one of the banders:
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If you're interested in trying to find a saw-whet on your own, try a
calm, dark night after the passage of a cold front, when the strong winds
finally die down -- at least, those are the nights they respond best to
our audiolure. We've had good success on or along ridges, in thick
forest. You can use a tape, or just whistle an imitation of their "toot"
call (I only recommend using a tape during this, the nonbreeding season).
I'd sit patiently in the dark for at least half an hour, waiting and
listening -- but don't expect to hear an answering toot, the way other
owls reply. Saw-whets are quiet and secretive, which is why I think
they're usually overlooked. Listen for sounds like a growling, mewing
cat, musical trills, bill-snapping or a very soft, faint toot. Then use
your flashlight. If it's a heavy flight night, don't be surprised if your
calling attracts a number of owls. As to volume, we play our tapes quite
loud -- research at other stations shows that the louder the tape, the
more owls they catch, perhaps because it draws them from a wider area.
Scott Weidensaul
sweidnsl@pottsville.infi.net
Schuylkill Haven, Pa.
------------------------------------------------------
Joshua S. Rose
Duke University
Department of Zoology
jsr6@acpub.duke.edu
http://www.duke.edu/~jsr6/