Feb
15
2010
Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus, Seaside Farm, Homer, 14 February 2010.
There have been quite a few reports of Saw-whet Owl from Homer this winter, many coming from Seaside Farm. This bird was quietly sleeping in a spruce tree in the middle of the day. Unlike the Saw-whets seen at Seaside Farm earlier in the winter, this bird was sitting in the open on the lower branches of the tree and we spotted it from a distance of 50 yards or more.
no comments | tags: NSWO, photo | posted in Homer
Dec
12
2009
Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus, two of three present at Seaside Farms, Homer, 12 December 2009.
The migratory habits of Northern Saw-whet Owls are far from understood. A banding study in Homer this fall captured and banded 179 Saw-whets from one site! It’s clear that many Saw-whets do move further south for the winter months, but it’s also clear that some do remain in southcentral Alaska throughout the winter. However, during the mid-winter months these birds are most often silent and detecting their presence is not easy, usually requiring luck. These owls were two of three at Mossy Kilcher’s Seaside Farm in Homer today. Both birds were roosting quietly in dense spruce but were given away by the scolding calls of mobbing chickadees, nuthatches and others.
2 comments | tags: NSWO, photo | posted in Homer
