Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Urban Eastern Screech Owl Search

October 14, 2015  Terry Michaels:

Today was a search for Eastern Screech Owls across the Denver area.  It saw success and failure.  Some of the searches were during the hottest parts of the day when temperatures reached 80 degrees.

Sites will remain unpublished to limit disturbance to the owls.  Some of the sites are published on other venues if one searches the internet.

In the order of my journey:

Van Bibber Park, Jefferson County: GPS coordinates got me within 61 feet of Tuesday's sighting.  Only a few cottonwoods were there.  An Eastern Screech Owl appeared within 30 seconds of playing a recording.  I did scope the park for other birds because a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was found here 8/25/2012, but none today.

Wheat Ridge Greenbelt (private property): Rich Stevens has been watching a pair since March.  One responded to my recording today.

Welchester Tree Park, Jefferson County: One was found in June; none found today.

Ketring Park, Jefferson County: I watched the tree where we saw an Eastern Screech Owl back in May.  None showed up today.

Bear Creek Greenbelt: Up to five were seen this spring.  None were tempted to show today.

Highline Canal at Colorado Blvd, Jefferson County: A local resident knows Rich Stevens well and put me onto two active trees.  An Eastern Screech Owl was looking out of an old cottonwood tree when I arrived.

DeKoevend Park, Arapahoe: Got lucky as one of the two resident owls peeked out as a recording was played for 30 seconds.

Big Dry Creek, Arapahoe County: The Eastern Screech Owls did not come out at the hot part of the afternoon.

Little Dry Creek, Arapahoe County: One has been reported the last two days.  GPS coordinates did not work out late this afternoon.

Four out of nine, it wasn't too bad an escapade!

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