GREAT GRAY REPORT

I just got this report from Vince Zauskey, a prominent local owl-man and trip leader for the Mountain Bird Festival in May: “I spent about 2 hours around the Howard Prairie area and down from the Keno Access Road to look for a Great Gray Owl today, 2/10/14.  Did have a small flock of Red Crossbills, 8 – 10, as they came out of the trees and landed above me working pine cones.  Also had two Tree Swallows as I came out to Dead Indian Memorial Rd from the Howard Prairie Lake rd.  Never did get a Great Gray here BUT on my way home I slowed to a stop past the 11 mile marker [on Dead Indian Memorial Road, east of Ashland] where the road begins its ‘S’ curves as I was going to put my vehicle in a lower gear.  A large bird flew from the right  of the road to an oak tree on the left (it could have been perched next to the road and I startled it when I stopped) at 1:30PM.  I was sort of stunned: it turned and had a ‘bow tie’ and huge head…it was a Great Gray and I’ve never heard of one in that area.  After it turned it flew into the trees up the hillside which are mostly all oaks.

Seems like unusual habitat for a Great Gray Owl but there is a large meadow just up the road as you head towards the 11 mile marker.”

I responded to Vince that we know of some nesting sits within a few miles of that sighting.  In addition wintering GGOs may move up to 20 miles or more in search of feeding meadows.  In northern Canada they often migrate much longer distances when lemmings are scarce.  Here in southern Oregon the food supply is more dependable most years.

There are two areas within their known range where Great Grays regularly hunt in oak forest.  Here in Southern Oregon and in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada between Placerville and points south.  Dry oak forests in our region are often home to many small rodents and are bereft of underbrush which makes for ideal GGO hunting.

LEARN ABOUT GREAT GRAYS ON PACIFIC SLOPE

 I have just signed up to talk Great Grays in Le Grande, Oregon, in May.  Click here for more info…it’ll be at the Ladd Marsh Birding Festival.

I will be giving a talk on the Great Gray Owl of the Pacific Slope (WA-OR-CA) Wednesday, February 18th, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.  here in Ashland. Then there is a field trip into the Cascades to try to actually one such owl, Saturday, Feb. 21.  To register for this Klamath Bird Observatory event, email:  shannonrio@aol.com.

There is a $25 tax deductible donation to KBO for the “talk and walk.”

I also will have an April talk and walk for KBO.  Use the above email to register.  IT will be about spring migrants and local nesting birds in southern Oregon.  Talk will be April 1, no foolin’.  Field trip the following Saturday, April 4.

If you want to help put up more GGO nest platforms in Jackson County, the donation site is up for a little while longer.

I do have a class later in February for Ashland Park and Rec but you’re too late if you missed that one.  Full.

In June I will be leading two KBO sponsored trips to Malheur NWR.  If you’re never been ask your birding friends about it.  The second trip has some vacancies yet.  It begins June 12th, end June 15.  Contact KBO to register.  Much of the fee is also donation.  We stay at the Malheur Field Station. These photos of Bobolink male and Blue-winged Teal were taken on previous Malheur trip by Phil Hix.

BIRD FESTIVAL REGISTRATION OPENS TOMORROW (Feb 11)

Soon you’ll be able to register for the 2015 Mountain Bird Festival here in Ashland, Oregon.  It’s a fund raiser for the Klamath Bird Observatory so most of your fees are tax deductible.  Before registration opens Feb 11 but you can click here to preview all the trips available.   Jackson and Klamath Counties have more resident Great Gray Owls than any other spot south of the Canada border and our GGO trips fill up quickly.  Rogue Valley Audubon and donors have put up 11 new nest platforms for the owls this past fall and winter.  We hope to see one or more get used as spring progress.  Watch this space.