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Incorporating the Celery Farm and Screech Owl Companion blogs
January 8, 2014
Short-eared Owl at the CF!
John Pastore reports:
I took a cross-country ski across Lake Appert, and around the Celery Farm on Friday, Jan. 3rd.
Skiing from Warden's Watch, past the intrepid hockey players, along the west side of the lake, I skied into a little bay near the Osprey platform.
I spooked a large bird as it left its hiding place at the waters edge, in the phrags.
Once airborne, the bird was quickly hounded by 3 crows. I knew it was something unusual, because of the very white underside and stocky body. I was glad I had my camera, but sad that I did NOT have a medium or larger telephoto (so the shots are not great).
After a half hour or so with R.T. Peterson's Field Guide and Google, I figured it was a short-eared owl (Rob Fanning agrees). Lifetime first for me.
More of John's pix from last Friday are here.
7 comments
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Wonderful pictures. I especially liked the hockey players from a distance, brought back many memories.
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Thanks Barbara & Sally.
As a novice birder, any lifetime first bird, as this was for me, is a pleasant event. But the excitement it brings to the ‘true birding community’ is an even bigger treat. -
WOW, so neat, what a great find!
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wonderful, wonderful…great pics all around. how exciting. congrats.
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Glad I brought a little good news in a weather pattern that is probably not a very happy time for birders. Just goes to show, if you get out there, you never know what you might see. Glad I had a camera to capture, because I’m not sure I could have ID’d just based on the looks I had.
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Congrats John. This is the first modern/recent record for the CF and possibly only the 2nd overall record. The Jan 3rd date (one day before the Ramsey CBC) means it makes it onto the “Count-week” list for the CBC–a first for the count according to JB.
-Rob -
Congratulations. Thank you. Could be the “Bird of the Season” or maybe the year although its only Jan. 8th. That left hand crow had a Northwestern look about it.
Just saying. John B.
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7 comments
Betsy
Wonderful pictures. I especially liked the hockey players from a distance, brought back many memories.
John Pastore
Thanks Barbara & Sally.
As a novice birder, any lifetime first bird, as this was for me, is a pleasant event. But the excitement it brings to the ‘true birding community’ is an even bigger treat.
Barbara Dilger
WOW, so neat, what a great find!
sally
wonderful, wonderful…great pics all around. how exciting. congrats.
John Pastore
Glad I brought a little good news in a weather pattern that is probably not a very happy time for birders. Just goes to show, if you get out there, you never know what you might see. Glad I had a camera to capture, because I’m not sure I could have ID’d just based on the looks I had.
RF
Congrats John. This is the first modern/recent record for the CF and possibly only the 2nd overall record. The Jan 3rd date (one day before the Ramsey CBC) means it makes it onto the “Count-week” list for the CBC–a first for the count according to JB.
-Rob
John
Congratulations. Thank you. Could be the “Bird of the Season” or maybe the year although its only Jan. 8th. That left hand crow had a Northwestern look about it.
Just saying. John B.