[Date Prev][Date Next][Date Index]

Northern Saw-whet Owl



There's nothing like seeing a Northern Saw-whet Owl in sunny Ogden Valley in Weber County to lift one's spirits!  Glenn Barlow and I watched a sunning, sleeping Northern Saw-whet in a small juniper tree this afternoon around 3 pm.  The tree is situated about 70 feet off SR-158 and an agitated Townsend's Solitaire "pointed out" the predator to me.  
 
After I called Glenn to join me in the valley, several different bands of Dark-eyed Juncos approached the tree and investigated the sleepy one.  I wanted to shoo them away for fear that the owl would be disturbed before Glenn arrived.  But no worries there; the saw-whet didn't care whether juncos, chickadees, or the solitaire tried to alarm the whole neighborhood.  The owl just continued to nod its head, sleep, or open its eyes just a slit and stare ahead.
 
Later, Glenn and I approached the owl to a distance of 15-20 feet.  Although the saw-whet opened its startling yellow eyes wide, its attention seemed to be focused elsewhere.  It was still not concerned with our presence.  My very lame squeaky mouse impersonation seemed to have little effect.  We returned to the side of the road and Glenn looked through the scope one more time.  "Oh!  It just upchucked a pellet!", he said.  I took a quick look and saw a black, shiny globule laying on the juniper branch in front of the owl.  Don't think, "Eeeuuuwww, gross!", think "Cool!", because it was pretty cool to be a witness to this behavior.  After thinking back on the event, I believe the owl became alert in preparation for the "upcoming" pellet.  
 
We looked for signs that the small juniper was a favorite perch.  We didn't see quantities of built-up whitewash, although there appeared to be a small, fresh stream on branches below the owl.  I hope to monitor the site for future sightings. 
 
Earlier in my birding day Ogden Valley also produced Canada Geese, a Common Goldeneye, Pied-billed Grebes, Bald and Golden Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, a Rough-legged Hawk, American Kestrels, Prairie Falcons, a Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flickers, Western Scrub-jays, Black-billed Magpies, American Robins, American Tree Sparrows, a White-crowned Sparrow, House Finches, Pine Siskins, and American Goldfinches.
 
The only open water at Pineview is at The North Arm where the North Fork of the Ogden River enters the reservoir.  That's where the single goldeneye and the five grebes were. 
 
Kris