[Birdtalk] Buzzed by an owl - Antelope Island

[cldavis at xmission.com]

On the way to Antelope Island early this morning I drove slowly with the
windows down to listen for birds.  I wasn't disappointed because the air
was full of song:  BREWER'S SPARROWS, GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS, HORNED LARKS,
and MEADOWLARKS.  I have never heard so many GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS and it
was fun to watch them singing from the tops of the bushes because they're
usually so hard to find.  I also saw three owls hunting and I couldn't see
the faces well enough to tell if they were SHORT-EARED or LONG-EARED.

At the ranch I stepped into the barn to see the GREAT HORNED OWL nest and
was immediately buzzed by a parent as it came off the nest.  I just ducked
under the decking and thought I'd better head out before I became food for
the youngster. The ranger told me there are BARN OWLS sharing the barn with
the GHOs and he also told me he had been buzzed by the female GHO.  Be
careful visiting. If you think a BB gun can put your eye out...

Well, it was raining a little by then and one of the owls was showering
outside in the large trees--wings up, feathers fluffed, moving from side to
side--thoroughly enjoying the short shower.  I took a movie of it.  It was
neat!

Other birds at the island:  LAZULI BUNTINGS, YELLOW WARBLERS, YELLOW-RUMPED
WARBLERS, tons of WILLETS, six BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS (by the "no swimming"
bridge), WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, LONG-BILLED CURLEWS, GREAT BLUE HERON, a
CORMORANT, lots of EARED GREBE, HERMIT THRUSH, and four LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE.

Carol