Yard Bird #72: Owl Serendipity

Saturday afternoon there were two rarely-seen owl species discovered and reported in Salt Lake County. One was a cool little Northern Saw-whet Owl at Garr Ranch, a migrant bird hot spot on Antelope Island. The second species was a Long-eared Owl at Bountiful Pond. The word about both owls went out quickly via a local listserv, email, phone, etc. Shortly after both owls were reported people began to report that the owls had flushed and could not be found.

I remember the first time I heard about a Long-eared Owl through a public listserv and how I was quick to drive to the owl and take pictures. The next day the owl was gone from a roost it had been using regularly until that time. I'm sure I was one of the reasons the owl chose to leave its regular roost. Saturday's events seemed, to me, to be a good reminder of birding etiquette when it comes to reporting sensitive bird species broadly. I shared a post with the birding community Saturday evening in an effort to use the flushing owls as a reminder for each of us to be careful when reporting and approaching roosting owls. I wasn't passing judgment on anyone. I was, however, realizing I needed to hold myself accountable and was genuinely thinking about the owls.

Imagine my surprise when I looked out my backdoor just before sunset Sunday evening and saw a fluffy Western Screech Owl perched on top of the shepherd's hook from which one of my hummingbird feeders was hanging. I was able to watch the owl with my son, his wife, and my wife for about 30 minutes before it grew dark enough for the owl to depart for an early evening hunt. It seemed as if the owl stopped by to say, " Thanks for thinking of us and encouraging others to respect our space when we are trying to roost." Serendipitous.

Here are a few images of Sunday night's owl. 

Western Screech Owl Perched Above Hummingbird Feeder in Pleasant Grove, UT

Western Screech Owl Perched Above Hummingbird Feeder in Pleasant Grove, UT

Western Screech Owl Perched Above Hummingbird Feeder in Pleasant Grove, UT

Western Screech Owl on Spruce in Pleasant Grove, UT

Western Screech Owl on Spruce in Pleasant Grove, UT

Maricopa Owls and Toads: Not Arizona Sport Team Names

I found my very first Elf Owl, the smallest owl in the world, during one of the trips my wife and I took to Mesa, Arizona. I had looked forward to finding one for some time before we made our first trip to Mesa during the breeding season. We were visiting with my daughter and her family. I checked my Birdseye app for where Elf Owls were being seen in Maricopa County and a place called Coon Bluff Recreation Area was showing recent sightings. My daughter shares my spirit of adventure so the two of us left her husband, my wife, and their baby boy at home and explored along Coon Bluff Road one evening after dark. We heard Elf Owls, but we didn't see them before we needed to return home. I returned the next night in a solo effort and was able to photograph the first one I ever saw. You can read the stories and see the images of that sighting and other really cool dessert birds from that spring trip by clicking here.

I'll keep the narrative short on this post and focus on the images from a recent evening on Coon Bluff Road as well as some fun images of Burrowing Owls I check on during each visit to Gilbert, Arizona.

Elf Owls are about 5 1/2 inches tall with a wingspan of about 13 inches. They nest and roost in tree cavities and forage primarily for insects at night. They have no problem preying on scorpions. They love the cavities in Saguaros. They breed during the spring and summer months in southern parts of Arizona and New Mexico, west Texas, and northern parts of Mexico. They migrate farther south during winter months.

Elf Owl on Coon Bluff Road Near Mesa, AZ

Elf Owl on Coon Bluff Road Near Mesa, AZ

Elf Owl on Coon Bluff Road Near Mesa, AZ

Elf Owl on Coon Bluff Road Near Mesa, AZ

Elf Owl on Coon Bluff Road Near Mesa, AZ

I heard a couple of Western Screech Owls calling when I first parked my care on Coon Bluff Road, but my target bird was the Elf Owl. After some one on one time with the Elf Owl I followed the sound of a singing Western Screech Owl. I located that owl and captured the image below.

Western Screech Owl on Coon Bluff Road Near Mesa, AZ

As I was leaving the area to return home I noticed what reminded me of the Bull Frogs I used to see often while growing up in Kentucky. I pulled over and was surprised to see what looked like a wet frog in the middle of a dry desert. Toads, not frogs, live in deserts so it had to be some sort of toad. I captured the images below and then went home to search the Internet for its identity. I discovered that it is a Sonoran Desert Toad. They are active at night and breed during June and July. They are one of the largest toads in North America (about 7 inches long), have white rather than dark throats like most toads, and have large paratoid glands behind their eyes which secret poison as a defense mechanism. Their poison could cause death to a dog if the dog picked it up by it mouth.  Click here for a link to more information on these toads from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum web site.

Sonoran Desert Toad on Coon Bluff Road Near Mesa, AZ

Sonoran Desert Toad on Coon Bluff Road Near Mesa, AZ

Sonoran Desert Toad on Coon Bluff Road Near Mesa, AZ

Finally, I found seven Burrowing Owls at my regular spot in Gilbert. I check on this burrow site every time I visit Gilbert. I would love to hear some of the captions you would create for these personality-filled birds. Please free to share your suggested captions for what some of these owls could be thinking or doing as they stretch, scratch, sniff, and roll their heads.

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

Burrowing Owl in Gilbert, AZ

"Hey! Over Here!", Said the Ruby-crowned Kinglets

Three years ago on December 13th (thank you eBird for easy record keeping) I knocked on my friend's front door and then glanced at a small shrub as I waited for someone to come to the door. It was winter and snow was falling gently. The nearby mountains and foothills had been covered in snow for a few days. I just happened to look at the right shrub at the right time to see a very small bird flitting its wings and moving nervously through the interior of the shrub, just inches off the ground next to me. When it jumped from one small shrub to another I got a glimpse of a bird I had never seen before. I made some mental notes, visited briefly with my friend on his doorstep, and then went home quickly to search for the ID of the tiny little bird in my only field guide at the time. I was looking for a tiny but stocky greenish bird, with a narrow, pointed bill, white around the eye, and white stripes in the wings. I also heard it make a harsh "chit, chit" sound several times as it moved about so I could use that as an identifier as well. I had begun my birding in earnest only a couple months earlier so life birds (ones I was seeing, or at least noticing, for the first time) were popping up regularly, especially as the seasons changed and winter pushed some birds from the north and down from the local mountains. I discovered that I had just observed life bird #56 (at least since I started recording my sightings in eBird several years ago)--a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet on River Lane near Palmyra, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Ruby-crowned Kinglets are about 4.5 or so inches long and packed with loads of nervous energy.  I learned that well the first time I tried to photograph one. They do not hold still. The one above provides a nice profile and shows typical field marks like the ones I observed with my first one, but I also like how the image shows its brown feet contrasting with its black legs. They are common in wooded areas, range from north in Alaska and all over Canada during the summer to the southern states and into Mexico in the winter. They are present year round in Utah so I hear and see them often.  They come foraging for food around valley homes in the winter like the one I first discovered. I heard one "chit, chitting" yesterday from a pine tree as I walked up to my office building for work, prompting today's post. I kind of felt like there was more to see of Kinglets after my first encounter because I didn't see a ruby crown at the time.

Last December, almost like an annual winter tradition, I found myself following a small flock of Ruby-crowned Kinglets through Tonaquint Park in St George, Utah. One bird in particular was cooperative and displayed his ruby crown.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (with crown revealed) at Tonaquint Park in St George, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (with crown revealed) at Tonaquint Park in St George, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (with crown revealed) at Tonaquint Park in St George, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (with crown and proud little chest revealed) at Tonaquint Park in St George, UT
(Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (with crown revealed) at Tonaquint Park in St George, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

As I was photographing the cooperative Kinglet above I found myself ignoring the mobbing sounds of other Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Black-capped Chickadees. There seems to be something about naming these small birds after things on their heads. Based on my experience with them I could lump them in a group called "the owl finders." I turned from my cooperative subject after getting what I thought would be some nice images and realized that the other kinglets and chickadees had located a roosting Western Screech Owl for me. The owl was snug against the trunk of a pine tree, standing on alert as a result of being harassed by all the little guys. This was not a regular roost because there was no wash (typical white owl poo) or pellets present below the roost. The image below gives a feel for how well hidden the owl was at the time. I probably never would have noticed the owl if the tiny little birds, especially the kinglets, didn't start squawking at it so loudly and flying all around it as if to say, "Hey, camera guy! Over here! Look at this one!"

Western Screech Owl Hidden, Yet Revealed by Kinglets and Chickadees, in Tonaquint Park in St George, UT
(Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Western Screech Owl in Tonaquint Park in St George, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Western Screech Owl in Tonaquint Park in St George, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Test Your Knowledge of North American Owls

Great Horned Owl at Garr Ranch
Antelope Island State Park Davis County, UT
(Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Owls are mysterious birds because many people know they exist yet few people have seen or understand much about them. Most people I know are familiar with large owls such as Great Horned and Barn Owl, but they have no idea that a number of small owls exist around them.

Barn Owl on Provo Airport Dike Provo, UT
(Photo by Jeff Cooper)

I will pose some questions as a fun little test of your knowledge of North American Owls in this post, but let me start with a recent experience I had with owls and a non-birder who shares property with a pair of owls. I participated in one of the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Counts last Saturday (12/15/12) by counting bird species in a small area of the Provo Christmas Bird Count. I started before sunrise to include nocturnal birding in my census. I wanted to see if I could locate a Great Horned Owl, Western Screech Owl, and Barn Owl. Despite snowfall, I was able to locate a Great Horned Owl hunting from a tree-top perch within five minutes of starting my census. I saw the silhouette of the tell-tale signs of the Great Horned Owl, two ear tufts and a bulky body. An hour and a half later as the sun began to rise I was still trying to find a Screech Owl and a Barn Owl. Once the sun came up I knew I was not likely to find a Screech Owl because they are strictly nocturnal and very secretive. However, I knew of some abandoned silos and farm buildings in my count area so I knocked on a few doors to obtain permission from property owners to check their buildings. I spoke with one lady and let her know I was doing a bird census for the Audubon Society and that I suspected she may have Barn Owls based on the abandoned buildings and silos near agricultural fields (preferred habitat and hunting areas for Barn Owls). She said, "I don't know if we have Barn Owls, but we have heard some Screech Owls." I suspected that what she was really hearing was the territorial scream (or screech) of Barn Owls. A few minutes into my search of the buildings I found what I was hoping for, an abundance of wash (white excrement) often found beneath an owl roost. I peeked up the shoot of the silo and saw a pair of Barn Owls. Both turned to look down at me and I was able to see the tawny color of the female's face next to her mate's much whiter face. I love following the clues that lead to such discoveries.

Now to the test. Here are a few questions to check your knowledge of North American Owls. I'll present the answers as I have them from one of my favorite books on owls, Owls of the United States and Canada by Wayne Lynch, at the end of the post (after the images).

1. How many species of owl are recognized in North America?
2. Which four species have dark, rather than yellow, eyes?
3. How many species of Screech Owl can be found in North America?
4. Which is the heaviest owl in North America?
5. Which species has the longest tail relative to its body size and hunts mainly during the day?
6. Which North American species is the smallest owl in the world?
7. Name the species for some of our smaller owls presented below.

This owl was photographed in the mountains of Utah during the summer. It is just under 7 inches tall.

This owl often perches conspicuously and hunts during the day. It was photographed in Provo Canyon in Utah. It is just under 7 inches tall.

This owl was photographed in the mountains of northern Utah in the early summer months. It is about 8 inches tall.

This owl was photographed in the desert just outside of Mesa, AZ at the end of April. It is just under 6 inches tall.

This owl was photographed in Pleasant Grove, UT. It is about 8.5 inches tall.

Answers:
1. 19 Species
2. Barn Owl, Barred Owl, Spotted Owl, Flammulated Owl
3. Western, Eastern, and Whiskered Screech Owls
4. Snowy Owl (the females in particular)
5. Northern Hawk Owl
6. Elf Owl
7. Images from top Flammulated Owl, Northern Pygmy Owl, immature Northern Saw-whet Owl, Elf Owl, Western Screech Owl

Birds Spoke To Me Today And I Understood

Being able to understand how different species of birds communicate proved very helpful during my lunch break this afternoon when I met up with my good friend Rich Young at Creekside Park in Holladay, Utah. Rich has taught me much of what I know about digital photography so I enjoy hooking up with him in the field to practice and learn more about photography while sharing with him what I know about birds. We had overcast skies so we were going to be challenged with capturing nice images.

We met at Creekside Park because it would be a new location for me and Rich had recently photographed Evening Grosbeaks, intergrade Northern Flickers, and Bohemian Waxwings in the park. Grosbeaks aren't necessarily rare in the valleys of northern Utah during the winter, but I was hoping to add some nice images to my web albums. Intergrade Northern Flickers (crosses between Red and Yellow-shafted) are being reported a little more frequently in Utah in recent years because local birders have become more discerning as they observe flickers. Bohemian Waxwing sightings vary from year to year in northern Utah. I have yet to see one since I started birding a few years ago.

Brown Creeper (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Rich and I saw some typical birds as we began, but we did not see our target birds. We eventually saw a small flock of Evening Grosbeaks fly high above us, but we soon lost sight of them. We decided to walk in one direction when I began to hear the faint calls of Evening Grosbeaks. Being able to hear and recognize theirs voices pulled me in a new direction. I soon located them feeding in some Russian Olive Trees, but they quickly flew across a creek and out of sight. We made our way down the creek to a bridge so we could get to the other side. 

After crossing the bridge and walking along a thickly wooded area I heard the faint and high-pitched call of elusive Brown Creepers. I asked Rich if he'd ever seen Brown Creepers and was delighted to locate them after he informed me he had never seen one. Moments later we had a couple of them in our sights.

As we both were capturing images of the Brown Creepers I heard a Black-capped Chickadee giving a scolding call. When another Chickadee joined in on the scolding I knew we were about to discover the hiding spot of what the Chickadees would consider a predator, most likely an owl. The question then became, "Which owl would it be?" I moved toward the commotion and saw several Chickadees scolding in high gear while bouncing from branch to branch around a clump of branches. I told Rich that the Chickadees have better vision than mine. It took a few minutes before I was able to discover a Western Screech Owl.

The owl was on the backside of the branches from our direction. The first image below is what we saw when we first discovered the owl being mobbed by Chickadees. The other images were taken as we move around to the other side of the trees.

Western Screech Owl in Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Western Screech Owl in Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Western Screech Owl in Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Western Screech Owl in Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

We left the owl alone after a few minutes and continued moving toward the sound of the Evening Grosbeaks. Rich discovered the Grosbeaks feeding in a Russian Olive Tree and we began capturing images of males and females as they devoured the fruit of the tree. The overcast skies diffused the light and resulted in softer yet interesting images.

Male Evening Grosbeak at Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Female Evening Grosbeak at Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Male Evening Grosbeak at Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Female Evening Grosbeak at Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Male Evening Grosbeak at Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Male Evening Grosbeak at Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Male Evening Grosbeak at Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Female Evening Grosbeak at Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Female Evening Grosbeak at Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Male Evening Grosbeak at Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Female Evening Grosbeak at Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Male Evening Grosbeak at Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Female Evening Grosbeak at Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

At the end of our adventure we heard then saw several Downy Woodpeckers fly in to trees near the Grosbeaks. The image below was a tight squeeze to focus on the bill of a female Downy as she was foraging below some Grosbeaks.

Female Downy Woodpecker Chipping Bark to Discover Food at Creekside Park in Holladay, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)