I live in Portland Oregon, with my patient wife Tui, sons Charlie (age nine), George (age six) and sassy pitbull, Maile. This posting is about the local owls I find in 2021.
Jan 2nd. George, Maile and I walked around Oaks Bottom and we found a screech owl in it's usual roost site.
Jan 8th. This morning, George and I found the screech owl in the usual roost site. Later in the day we drove down to Southern Marion county in search of a short eared owl roost. George was in excellent spirits, and we whiled away the afternoon walking a couple of back roads searching for owls. At dusk a pair of great horned owls perched on a nest and duetted. A third called from the distance. then a barn owl called from an unseen location across the wet meadows. We decided to drive a couple of farm roads to see if we could find any owls, and this paid off when a short-eared owl flew in front of the car about a mile from the roost site.
Jan 22nd. George, Maile and I walk around Oaks bottom and we find the roosting screech owl in the usual site.
At dusk, I return with Maile to the Oaks Bottom screech owl site. I run into Ken Shults https://www.picuki.com/profile/owlpurist a local owl photographer. We find three screech owls at the usual site (two territories meet near the roost site).
Feb 5th. The whole family walked at dusk to Oaks Bottom. We watched a screech owl emerge from it's roost site and fly to a low perch on the hillside.
Feb 6th-7th. George, Maile and I decided to head out to Gilliam County in search of long-eared owls. Driving past Deschutes State Park we saw a couple photographing a saw-whet in a cedar tree. I pulled over and a minute later was enjoying lovely views of a roosting saw-whet.
We hiked in several miles to our camp site, a small seep near the John Day river. While sawing a dead branch, it snapped and my saw smacked me in the nose.
It took a while to regain my composure, and the wound bled on and off through the night and into the next morning. Soon after it got dark we abandoned our camp fire and snuggled into the tent. Almost immediately a pair of long-eared owls started duetting. I tried to spotlight the owls, but was unable to find them. Later that night I heard two barn owls shrieking.
The next morning after breakfast I was able to find a pair of beautiful long eared owls roosting low in a small tree!
On the way home we checked a couple of great-horned owl nest sites. I found one in barn that hooted at me from it's dark perch in the rafters.
Feb 13th. Despite a snow and ice storm I took the boys to Ankeny NWR in search of a long-eared owl roost.
Just short of the refuge the road was blocked by a cottonwood felled by the ice storm. It was slow going getting to the refuge as George was fascinated by the ice that coated everything. Once in the reserve we found the owls easily despite not having directions. They were roosting in flooded woodland. The beautiful owls looked sad and wet.
Feb 14th. I took the boys and Maile down to Oaks Bottom. The whole trail was covered in snow and ice. George managed to break through some ice an get his feet wet, but seemed unbothered by this. We found one screech owl in the usual roost site in an ash tree, and another just up the trail.
Feb 21st. George and I hiked Oaks Bottom and found the roosting screech owl in the usual cavity in an ash tree.
Feb 27-28. Based on our recent success looking for long-eared owls, George and I went backpacking in the wild dry mountains of Wheeler County. We didn't arrive until after 5, so didn't get that far from the car before we set up camp at dusk.
After setting up camp we hiked up the canyon in the dark. I think this was the first night time owling hike with George (apart from local nature reserves in Portland). It was a steep rugged climb out of the canyon and onto a broad ridge. there we were greeted by the full moon rising over the Blue Mountains to the east. Far below a deep canyon. George was really elated and ran about the ridge in the moon light. Conditions seemed perfect for hearing owls, but we detected none.
On the way down we checked every lonely juniper for roosting owls, but again came up short. Despite the lack of owls it was a really wild place the hike and camp with George.
March 13. I walked around Oaks Bottom on a warm sunny Saturday morning. I found a lovely barred owl low in a small Doug Fir. First of the year!
April 2nd. The whole family went to Vedanta retreat at dusk where we head a distant pygmy owl.
April 3rd. George, Maile and I hiked around Tryon and heard a pygmy owl singing. Despite some persistent searching the owl remained unseen, high in a stand of Doug firs.
April 4th. The whole family hiked around Tryon. We heard a barred owl singing (midday) on the far side of the valley.
April 24-5th. George, Maile and I drove out to Southern Morrow County (South of Ione) to look for long-eared owls. We arrived at sunset and George was already asleep in the car. Maile and I followed a small willow lined creek, and soon heard a distant male long-eared owl hooting. As we approached, it flew up into a dead snag, and I got good views in the fading light. A female called softly, a little further along the creek. She eventually emerged and flew around-her erratic flight, quite like a short-eared owl, but quite high above the ground.
Satisfied, we drove North up Lost Valley road, stopping and listening for other owls (mostly barred or saw-whets). It rained, mostly lightly and all we saw was an elk crossing the road. By the time we emerged back on the asphalt at Fossil, it was raining heavily. We camped at Bear Hollow campground, where a fir tree gave us fine shelter from the rain. George slept soundly in the tent, while I enjoyed a midnight feast of veggie burgers and Ninkasi.
May 7-9th. I took a trip out to North eastern Oregon with George and Maile. The owling began in Three Mile Canyon, where I searched for short eared owls. It was a windy evening and we found none. As a consolation, I did find a barn owl hunting over some sage covered hills. next I drove to a park in Pendleton, where screech owls had been reported. Soon after I arrived the most powerful sprinklers blasted the car, waking George and making so much noise that owling would be impossible.We gave up on the screech owls and drove out to spring Creek. While setting up the tent a distant male great-gray owl called.
We spent most of the next day hiking around searching for great-gray and pygmy owls. We found a couple of great-gray feathers, but that's all. That evening we drove to Ladd Marsh, where a short-eared owl had been reported. The only owls that showed up that evening where a pair of distant great-horned owls. After dark we drove to La Grande, in search of screech owls and we eventually heard one at a cemetery. Our plan was to camp at Moss Springs Guard Station. On the way a beautiful barn owl flew in front of the car. We only got about half way up the hill side before our way was blocked by snow. It was really cold as we set up the tent by a patch of icy old snow.
We tried for pygmy owls in the morning, but the roar of a nearby creek prevented us from hearing any owls. We made our way back to Spring Creek where we found a female great gray on a nesting platform. Nearby a huge male peered down at George and I. We tried to drive through to Indian Lake, but again the road was blocked by snow and we had to return to Spring Creek. Along the way we heard a pygmy owl singing from high in a Ponderosa.
May 14-16th. The whole family went out to an AirBnB to Mt Vernon, Oregon. I woke at the brutally early time of 1am. I was so tired that I literally could not figure out how to back the car (out of an abundantly wide gravel parking area) for a couple of minutes. Once I had remembered how to drive I headed out to Prairie City, then beyond into the mountains near Monument Rock wilderness. At the first stop I found a singing saw-whet and great-horned owl. My luck didn't play out for the next ten stops, where I was hoping for an early flammulated owl, but was met with silence. At dawn I had reached the far Northwest of Malheur county. i tried for a pygmy owl, and found none, but was compensated by a singing great-horned owl.
The next day I got up at the comparatively civilized hour of 2am. Just outside of Mount Vernon , I found a couple of great-horned owls by the roadside. I drove north towards Ukiah, drinking strong cold coffee along the way, while I hunted for radio stations. I tried for screech owls, and eventually heard one just east of town. I drove further East, towards La Grande, eventually stopping in the most beautiful creak. I heard a pygmy and great horned owl singing in the gloaming.
Creek, East of Ukiah on a freezing morning.
It was freezing out, and Maile and I took a brisk walk to warm up.
May 22nd. George, Maile and I drove out to Sauvie after dinner. We played on the beach, then at dusk drove around looking for owls. We were rewarded with good views of a big great-horned owl perched on top of a lamp post and a delicate barn owl that we caught in the headlamps.
May 24th. On a cool damp evening, Charlie and I visited the upper end of Reed Canyon. We met a runner who told us about barred owls in the Orchard. While checking out the orchard, the same runner found us and let us know he found a fledgling barred owl in a Doug fir. We heard two owlets, and saw one, plus both parents; one standing guard and the other hunting.
May 25th. Charlie, Maile and I walked along the south end of Oaks bottom. We immediately saw a screech owl silhouetted on a low perch. A couple hundred yards down the trail we flushed a second screech owl from it's trail side perch. We could also hear the begging calls of hungry owlets.
May 28-31st. The whole family went down to Fort Klamath for memorial day weekend. The highlight of the weekend was paddling the Wood River. I explored the upper end of the Klamath basin after dark and found a pair of great horned owls and a lovely barn owl. I also heard a long-eared owl.
While hiking the old rail road grade near Beattie we got to see the big (and early) Sycan fire to the north. We saw a beautiful pair of great-horned owls in the evening, and a second pair on the drive back to the cabin.
Just like last year I tried Klamath Marsh for short-eared owl, and saw lots of wildlife but no owls.
June 4-6th. Maile and I headed out to Malheur County in far South Eastern Oregon. I saw a fat rattler on the side of the lonely highway between Brothers and Burns. My first stop was Chucka Park. Just north of there, I heard singing screech and great-horned owl. I followed a rough dirt road up towards Castle Rock. Along the way I got brief views of a long-eared owl in the car headlight.
There is a small patch of fir and pine forest high on the Eastern side of Castle Rock. In quick succession I heard 3-4 flammulated owls and a saw-whet owl. At my campsite I heard 3-4 great-horned owls, which called so loudly I woke up several times.
In the morning I searched for pygmy owl, but failed to find any. I then took a long gravel road drive to the West in search of short-eared owls. There were some wild stretches, where I saw no farms for 20 plus miles. Alas short-eared owls where scarcer than farms. I did find a juvenile great-horned owl perched in a window of an old barn. Soon after I reached highway 20, I got a flat. After changing the tire I headed out to Succor creek. Despite the midday heat, I quickly found a burrowing owl at the edge of the road.
After a quick swim in succor creek, I continued 20 miles to the South in search of short eared owls. I waited until sunset, but found only a small rattle snake.
I did find a second burrowing owl on the drive back North.
Near Adrian, I found three roadside great-horned owls. and beyond Vale, I found a road side barn owl. Just West of Ironside I got another flat. It was about 11pm, and having not fixed the spare and being out of cell reception I was destined to stay the night. I camped in a cow pasture. Maile looked uneasy as cows mooed and coyotes sang outside.
It was disappointing to wake and see beautiful Ironside Mountain-my planned destination. I flagged down a farm truck, and a friendly guy called Bo took me to his feed lot. There he can a phone booster, which enabled me to call AAA. I walked the four miles back to the car and waited for the tow truck. A cattle drive went by, and I got to talk with the ranchers as they passed. Once the car was loaded onto the flatbed I found out that the nearest tire store was 100 miles away in Idaho at a fucking Walmart. There I was able to snag a set of cheep tires and made it home by early evening.
June 12th. I woke early at 4am, and drove out to Marshall Park, where I had heard there were barred owls. Walking through the park in the dark, I could hear the begging calls of juvenile barred owls. I eventually hiked down under the tree where the owlets where calling from. Despite the darkness, I could see two very active owlets practicing flying between branches. Nearby a beaver smacked it tail against the water in alarm. On the way out, I found a third owlet.
I also visited Tryon, but by the time I arrived, it was quite light and I couldn't find any owls.
June 13th. I revisited Marshal Park on a cool rainy evening. Hearing begging calls of juvenile barred owls, I was quickly able to track down two juveniles and a very soggy attendant adult.
June 14th. Charlie, Maile and I visited Reed Canyon at dusk to check on the family of barred owls. As we came to the forest edge, Charlie found a adult barred owl hunting. In the canyon we found three begging juveniles, and then the other adult hunting by the pond.
June 17th. I got up at 5am, and drove with Maile out to Leif Erikson trail, where my friend Andy Frank had recently found a barred owl. A ways up the trail I found three noisy baby owlets begging in a maple tree.
Just before sunset, Charlie, Maile and I returned to Reed Canyon to check on the barred owls. A scolding robin lead us off trail, where we eventually tracked down a huge-eyed adult owl. On the way back to the car we found a begging owlet calling from a low perch.
June 30th. After work, I took Maile, the boys and their cousin, Tautai, down to Willow Bar on Sauvie Island for a swim. Driving home at dusk, I found a great-horned owl perched on a utility pole near Sauvie Island Bridge.
July 2-4th. Maile and I drove out to Zumwalt Prairie, near Enterprise, OR. We arrived just before sunset. I was really stunned by this place.
View to the North at Zumwalt Prairie
View to the South at Zumwalt Prairie
I found a short-eared owl hunting over the grassland and many grazing elk. Maile and I hike around for about an hour taking this amazing place in.
Driving back I saw 5 great-horned owls, and heard two others. Closer to Enterprise I saw a delicate barn owl fly overhead. I ventured into some mixed pine and fir forest in search of flammulated owls, and despite an hour plus searching, I came up short. I stopped briefly in Enterprise to charge the car, and slept fitfully as it charged. I finished the night just North of the town of Wallowa listened to great-horned owls from my tent.
It was great to have a leisurely morning of brewing coffee and making a good camp breakfast. Maile and I set out late in the morning in search of pygmy owls. We found no owls and eventually got chased off by a free ranging bull. I charged the car at Enterprise, then slowly made my way to Balm Creek Reservoir. Despite being in the mountains, it was a really hot afternoon. I took a couple of long swims to cool off. After dark I began searching the forest roads for flammulated owls, and heard two or three distant birds. Down in the lowlands I tried for barn and screech owls. After a couple of hours I had heard just one barn owl. Tired, I set up cam p at the pass above of Catharine Creek.
July 11th. I took the boys and Maile to the West side of the Sandy River Delta. A gang of scolding robins revealed a beautiful great-horned owl. The big owl was panting in the afternoon sunshine, perched low in a broad cottonwood.
Aug 11th. The whole family went swimming at Sauvie Island. On the hike down to the beach a gang of scolding scrub jays gave up the presence of a great-horned owl in a stand of cottonwoods/
Aug 13. At Powell Butte I heard a singing adult, and begging juvenile great-horned owl. A pygmy owl sang briefly.
Aug 14th. I took the boys and Maile around Reed Canyon, where we had a close encounter by the creek with a Barred owl.
Aug 16th. George and I walked around the meadow just South of Oaks Bottom at dusk. A barn owl flew over us at last light.
Aug 19th. The whole family went camping at Sand Island, Columbia County. Tui woke me in the middle of the night so I could listen to a singing great-horned owl.
Aug 20-21. I drove out with Maile to North East Oregon. I stopped first in the evening to search for short-eared owls in the fields near La Grande. Alas I found two great-horned owls and lots of hawks, but no short-eared. As I drove out to Enterprise, it started to rain. Unfortunately I hadn't checked the forecast so I was just going to tough out the cold and rain without a jacket. I worked highway 3 for about an hour and a half searching for saw-whet owl, eventually giving up along a bumpy track under increasing wind, thunder and rain.
My tent kept the elements at bay and I slept well. I spent most of the morning searching for pygmy owl, but despite excellent habitat found non. Perhaps the rain and cold weather was subduing them? After charging the car in Enterprise, I drove above Wallowa Lake, and checked the fir forests for pygmy owl, but again found none. I charged the car again at La Grande, then tried the wild grasslands near the airport for short-eared owl, but again failed. I drove down some farmland just North of Baker City, and again searched for short-eared owl in the diminishing like, and found none.
After dark, I searched Union Creek Campground for screech owl. A huge harvest moon rose above the lake and a coyote sang, but no owls called. Tiered, and a little defeated, I tried a valley above Medical Springs and found a lovely singing screech owl.
Aug 30th. I took an evening walk at Oaks Bottom, and in the parking lot saw a screech owl fly into a large oak.
Aug 31st. Charlie and I walked Maile around Reed Canyon. We heard a barred owl hooting and later saw a juvenile barred owl perched low on a maple tree.
Sep 3rd. Tui and I took and evening walk from Marshall Park down to Tryon. A scolding chickaree led us to a hunting barred owl.
Sep 9th. I went for a hike around Powell Butte at dusk with Maile and heard a juvenile great-horned owl begging.
Sep 11th. My friend Andy Frank had told me about a pair of screech owls in NW Portland. George and I went out to check them out. We were able to find a single bird at dusk.
Sep17-19. Maile and I drove out to the Blue Mountains in search of Boreal owls. I have looked for Boreals in the Blue Mountains four or five times before. I took Tui's Rav4 because last time George and I were stumped by the lousy condition of Skyline Road. I started at Walla Walla and drove up Tiger Creek Road. I spent 6 hours owling on a cloudy night, through which a lovely big moon emerged every now and again. Lots of elk bugled. I could smell a wildfire from the ridge, but never saw any flames. An owl flew over a meadow, probably a long-eared, but I couldn't be certain. I finished the night at Jubilee Lake, hoping for a barred owl, but heard none. I camped near the lake, enjoying a cold beer at 230am.
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