Hi all
As the snow flew today, I found myself looking at the birds in the yard wondering if anything different may show up. Nope, as the morning disappeared, all I had seen was the usual crowd: Lesser Goldfinches, Dark-eyed Juncos, Black-capped Chickadees, Spotted Towhees and those pesky introduced birds: House Sparrows and Eurasian Collared Doves!
Then, all of a sudden, a speeding brown “ball” came rocketing towards the house, low over the snow, straight at the bird feeders, only to veer and crash into a ‘never cleaned’ window and collapse into the snow underneath. I was aghast to realise that it was a first for the yard, a Northern Pygmy Owl, now lying helpless and seeming lifeless in the snow. Lest a Magpie or anything else took advantage, I picked it up, having realised that it was still alive, and placed it on its belly in a clear plastic box covered with a towel, in a darkened room. I carefully lifted the towel some 40 minutes later – it was now standing up and staring at me! I left it alone for another hour or more, until I decided to examine it more closely. It seemed in fine shape, so I scared off the Cooper’s Hawk that was sitting watching the Juncos, waiting for the Eurasian Collared Doves to return after its last failed dash to grab one.. Denise took a couple of pics as I examined the owl, before I released it, whereupon it flew strongly into the Choke Cherry and the Juncos scattered. After just a few minutes it moved trees, and then after a few minutes more it headed off into the falling snow. Good luck buddy – it’s destined to be -10F tonight, and I hope you sustained no serious internal injuries from our ‘never-cleaned’ glass.
Only our third owl species for the yard, the previous being several Great Horneds, and a single Saw-whet that spent a winter’s day in the spruce by the back door, next to the bird table..
Interesting day!
Best wishes
Dick Filby
Carbondale, Garfield County
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