Hoo-Hoo!

Guess what I saw today?! First....ever....Owl!!!

(A note: I am now uploading my pictures to Flickr and embedding the image so clicking on the picture will take you to the Flickr site of the picture. If you want to see a bigger version click "All sizes", then "Large". Also, you should be able to see my entire photostream of pictures there instead of going back and forth between the blog and Flickr. The photostream is to the right on the Flickr page.)

I can't really take credit for it, but I don't care! I was walking down to the pier at Montrose and saw some guys with the really big lenses taking pictures into the Hedge. I smiled as I walked past and one of them asked, "Don't you want to see it?". And I said "what?", and he said "The owl". At which point I kind of freaked out a little and then turned and saw the most beautiful Long-Eared Owl. He was fairly indifferent to all the fuss he was causing.




Then the guy that pointed the owl out to me pointed out a Field Sparrow to me as well and told me how to identify it (pink bill and white eye ring).

My other first of the day was a Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker:


I also saw an American Kestrel while I was out on the pier. He was having a lot of trouble with the wind and he was really right above me about 20 feet or so. I just looked up, and there he was. Then I saw him again in the hedge and was able to see his little black markings on his face (the moustache).

I also followed a Northern Flicker around the hedge for a while. They're very shy. I have a couple of pictures, but they're not very good - one his face is hidden by a branch and the other you can only see his face.


Here's a Hermit Thrush (I think)

And here's a Flycatcher of some sort. Both of these ID's are up on my message board for confirmation. Edit: According to the boards this is an Eastern Phoebe (which is in the Flycatcher family).


These are all American Tree Sparrows. The first one is fairly obvious, but the backlit photo you can tell because his upper beak is dark and lower mandible is straw-colored.


At the end of the day, I was driving out of the park and I stopped to call Mom and tell her about the owl. I had just kind of stopped near some small trees and as I was talking to her, I see this small bird climbing up the side of the tree. I yell into the phone "That's a Brown Creeper! I have to go, I'll call you back!" and hang up on her. That is not the first time something like that has happened to her :)