January 1st. The new year began with a frost morning and mist. I drove out to Reed Canyon, and walked in with Maile. Almost immediately I found a barred owl out in the open being harassed by a couple of angry crows.
Next I checked the overlook at Oaks for a roosting screech owl, but found none. Later that morning the whole family drove to Broughton Beach to look for short-eared owls. The place was full of off leash dogs enjoying themselves and the owls had long since sought undisturbed roosting places elsewhere.
That sunny afternoon George Maile and I returned to Oaks Bottom, but were unable to locate the screech owl. At dusk, I made one final attempt and walked to the broken ash with Maile. In the twilight I saw a pair of screech owls duetting back and forth, the females song noticeably higher pitch than the males.
January 5th. George, Maile and I tried again for Short-eared owl at Broughton Beach. I was in a hurry so I carried George on my shoulders. I was hot and sweaty by the time we made it to the Sea Scout base. On the hike back to the car we saw a short-eared owl fly out over the Columbia river. It eventually perched on a piling in the river, then returned to grassy cover of the river bank.
Mid morning I had arranged to show a Shannon Phifer, a photographer from Eugene and her friend the screech owl at Oaks Bottom. Despite this bird normally being really reliable on sunny winter days, today it didn't show. As a consolation we went to Reed Canyon, where we had nice views of the barred owl.
Beautiful barred owl photograph by Shannon Phifer
January 6th. Andy Frank had let me know that the great-horned owls were back at Vanport. I set out with Maile ahead of a cold front. I was able to find one of the owls, perched at eye level near the road. It was a beautiful rich-colored bird. A few minutes later the rain really started in earnest and we headed home.
January 12th and 13th. Tim Rodenkirk had very kindly asked for permission for birders to check out a over-wintering burrowing owl at Pacific Dunes Golf Course near Bandon. I got a little turned around at the golf course and had to call Tim a couple of times to find the right place. The owl was exactly where Tim described and I got nice views of it enjoying the sun on an unseasonably warm winter's afternoon.
After that I took Maile down to the beach for a run as the sunset.
Bullards Beach State Park
I then drove down to Humbug Mountain in Curry County to look for Barred owl. I didn't find anything there. Next stop was Ophir, to the south. I was able to hear a distant barred owl high in the hills. When I turned on the car's lights they illuminated a beautiful female barn owl perched on a roadside just in front of the car.
My next goal was to look for screech owl in Coos county. I worked two mile creek road, but came up short. I tried a couple of other stops briefly, then a side valley off of Fat Elk Road, but heard nothing.
I drove over the coast range to Roseburg to some farm land West of Sutherlin. I looked for barn and Barred owls here in Douglas county, but found neither. By now it was after midnight, it was foggy and I was tired. I drove north into some BLM land and set up camp in a clear cut high in the hills. Their was frost on the ground as I set up the tent. I was snuggling in with Maile when a barred owl started calling from the trees across the valley.
It was a cold night, and I got up before it was really light. the fly was coated in thick ice. Maile and I hiked up the road, mostly just to warm up. On the way down it was light enough to notice a small bird perched in a lonely vine maple out in the clear cut. I approach, and was delighted to discover it was a pygmy owl. My first in a few months.
Back at home I checked out the screech owl at Oaks Bottom with George. It was perched int he usual spot in the broken ash tree.
January 19th. George, Maile and I walked around Oaks Bottom this morning. We disturbed a coyote that was hunting voles in the South meadow. The coyote ended up walking the trail ahead of us, and at one point we were just a few paces from it. I found the screech owl roosting in the usual broken ash tree.
That evening I hiked around Tryon. A couple of coyotes sang and yelped as I hiked around. I heard a saw-whet owl. I caught a brief view of it low in a small conifer, unfortunately my flashlight disturbed it.
January 21st. I took the boys out to Sauvie's island. I checked several of last year's great-horned owl nests, but could not find any incubating birds. I did inadvertently flush a roosting great-horned owl from a stand of small conifers.
January 25th. I took George to Whitaker ponds nature area in search of a great-horned owl reported on ebird. A couple of scolding robins gave away the presence of the big owl roosting in a conifer.
January 26th. George, Maile and I hiked around Reed Canyon. It took some searching off trail but we eventually found the barred owl staring down at us from a very low perch.
February 2nd. The boys, Maile and I walked around Reed Canyon after breakfast. George was willfully unwilling to walk or be carried, which made for a frustrating start. Things picked up when we found the barred owl low in a fir tree. We got nice views, and my mood and George's enthusiasm picked up.
In the afternoon I checked on the Oaks screech owl from the top of the bluff and could see it tucked inside the cavity.
We drove out to Sauvie, where I found two lovely male barn owls roosting 50 yards apart. We built a fire and cooked our dinner on the beach. As we walked back we heard a singing great-horned owl from a large stand of cottonwoods.
February 3rd. The boys and Maile hiked around Tryon Sate Park. We heard a pygmy owl singing high in some firs and across a yawning valley. Unfortunately it wasn't practical to try and get closer so I had to settle for "heard only".
Late in the afternoon I took Brian and Chantelle Simmons and their kids out to look for the Oaks Bottom screech owls. We initially saw the bird roosting in the usual cavity. At dusk the owl emerged from it's cavity, and joined it's mate. We saw both owls quite close and enjoyed their duet as they sang back and forth from low in deciduous bushes.
February 10th. After being sick for several days I went out with Andrew Kenny to show him the Oaks screech owls. The owls put on a great show. We got to see them hunting and feeding. (We could not tell what, but it looked like invertebrates). We also heard a 3rd screech owl at the south end of the reserve and a distant great-horned owl. All this despite some blowing snow.
Screech owl by Andrew Kenny
February 15th. George, Maile and I walked Oaks Bottom, where we found a roosting screech owl in the usual broken ash tree.February 16th. George, Maile and I went hiking around Reed Canyon. We ran into Ezra Cohen and his family and were able to show him a lovely barred owl roosting at the east end of the canyon, low in a conifer.
February 17th. George and I took a long hike through forest park in search of pygmy owls. We found nothing but mud!
Later that day I met Brian Simmons at Boring. He had kindly agreed to show me a nesting great horned owl. We were able to watch the female both on the nest and briefly flying. A male bird sung nearby from a stand of tall Doug firs. On the drive back we found another great-horned owl hunting from a roadside perch just west of Damascus.
That night I met Andy Frank at Tryon Creek. We searched for saw-whet owls and heard a couple of birds. We also saw a beautiful barred owl at the lower end of the park.
February 18th. I took the boys and Maile to Willow Bar on Sauvie Island. We built a bonfire and cooked burgers on the embers. Walking back to the car we found a beautiful male great-horned owl singing from the top of a cottonwood snag. It sang with it's tail cocked, like a winter wren, and it's white throat puffed out and clearly visible in the gloaming.
At the canoe launch I heard a second bird singing in the distance.
February 22nd. I hiked around Oaks Bottom with George and Maile. Despite the cold weather many birds were singing in anticipation of spring. A flock of scolding Anna's hummingbirds, chickadees and Bewick's wren alerted us to a possible roosting owl. It took some searching, but we eventually found a roosting screech owl. We were returning down the trail when we ran into Andy Frank. We showed any the owl and he took this great photo of it:
Screech owl by Andy Frank
February 24th. George, Maile and I hiked around Oaks Bottom and found the screech owl tucked away in the same roost that we found it in yesterday.
After dinner I drove out to Blue Lake Park in search of saw-whet owl. I didn't find any saw-whets, but a silhouetted great-horned owl high in a cottonwood tree was a nice consolation. I also tried the west side of the mouth of the Sandy River, but didn't find any owls there.
March 2nd. I drove out to Scappose airfield at sunset and got to watch 3 beautiful long eared owls hunting in some rough pasture near the airfield. It was a perfect evening, the Cascade volcanoes, were covered in snow, and caught the pink evening light. Northern harriers whistled and meadowlarks sang.
I drove around the Scappose bottoms, and arrived just before it got dark. A great-horned owl, sat on a fence post chased away a pair of hunting short-eared owls. I was struck by just how fast and low the great-horned owl flew.
March 4th Brian Simmons had told me about a second pair of screech owls at Oaks Bottom, about a quarter mile south of the regular pair. On a very cold and windy morning I hustled down to Oaks at first light, but heard no owls. I returned after dinner and was able to find a pair of screech owls singing low in some deciduous trees.
March 9th. I started my Saturday early around 345am. First stop was the north end of Oaks Bottom. I was hoping for saw-whet of screech owls. All I did was disturb some campers who yelled out "who's there".
I met Andy Frank at Smith and Bybee Lake in search of new owls for his list for the site (he's recorded 196 species there). Alas we heard a couple of possible small owls, but it was hard to be certain-there were planes, trains, trucks and a multitude of waterbirds calling.
Any suggested I try the Holman Park area. I arrived just before the sun rose, but was lucky enough to find a pair of courting barred owls and two singing pygmy owls.
During the middle of the day George and I rode our bikes to the overlook at Oaks Bottom. With the bright sun it was fairly easy to see the roosting screech owl in the cavity far below the bluff.
Later that afternoon I took the boys and Maile to Sauvie Island. I found a roosting male barn owl along Oak Island Road. We built a fire and cooked salmon on the beach. At dusk we lucked out and saw two great horned owls in the cottonwoods by Coon Point. Finally near Sauvie Island Bridge we saw another barn owl in the car's headlights.
March 10th After sunset Tui and I walked around the south end of Oaks Bottom in search of singing screech owls. Instead we found a silent great-horned owl that was actively flying between tree-top perches.
March 16th-17th. Andy Frank had suggested Linnton trail in Forest Park. I set off with George and Maile. After an insanely steep scramble up an earthen cliff we found a lovely roosting barred owl fairly low in a small Doug fir. Higher up we found a beautiful singing pygmy owl.
Later that morning Charlie and I rode our bike to the Oaks overlook to check on the roosting screech owl far below in the broken ash tree.
After Lunch, Charlie, Maile and I drove out to Deschutes State Park in search of a reported long-eared owl. Things didn't look good when we arrived and I saw a slightly forlorn looking birder wandering around the roost tree. We found pellets, white-wash and a couple of owl feathers. We took a short walk, then cooked dinner on the stove.
After sunset we drove through the East side of Wasco county.
Wasco County above the Columbia
Best find was a great-horned owl chasing a short-eared owl. We found a couple of other road-side great-horned owls and heard a singing screech owl that stayed stubbornly on the far side of a deep cold creek. We drove higher, passed Dufor and the landscape became increasingly snowy. I had planned on searching for long-eared owl in the hills near Tygh Valley, but the roads were blocked by snow. We camped just south of Maupin high above the Deschutes river. Despite the snow we were pretty warm in our tent. All night a pair of great-horned owls sang. I tried spotlighting them, but they were calling from high on a cliff, and well out of reach of the flashlight.
Breakfast
That morning we drove via Grass Valley to the Celilo-Wasco Highway.
Near Grass Valley
Along the way we found a great-horned nesting low in a stunted tree and a delicate male barn owl in a barn. We stopped at Deschutes State Park but could not find the great-horned owl.
March 18th. I took George and Maile for a walk along Oaks Bottoms at dusk. We found the screech owl peering from it's cavity. After a short wait we started to hear it's mate singing. We eventually found the second bird and got to see it fly into the willows by the water's edge.
At the south end of Oaks we were surprised to see a great-horned fly in and land about 20 feet above the trail. We were able to walk right under the big owl without flushing it. A minute later it flew down the trail to another perch, and was joined by a second great-horned. The two birds cocked tails, like gigantic wrens and duetted. Amazing. This is the first time I have seen a pair at Oaks.
March 23rd. I read in ebird that a pair of barred owls had been seen at Reed Canyon. This was exciting because I had been seeing a single bird during the winter at Reed for years, but had never detected any evidence of breeding. The whole family visited Reed. The first thing we found was the sad remains of a dead screech owl, likely eaten by a barred owl. At the upper end of the lake we found a beautiful barred owl. It duetted spontaneously with a second, unseen bird.
After dinner Charlie, Maile and I returned. We saw both birds flying around, duetting and mating which segwayed into a serious of very pointed questions from Charlie about how babies are made.
March 24. I woke at 430am and drove out to Powell Butte. I heard a pair, and briefly saw one screech owl in the same territory at the edge of the park that's been used for at least three years.
I hard a great-horned owl squawk and bill snap. I waited under a Doug Fir and eventually a pair started singing. They paused for a few minutes, and I heard a screech owl. The great-horneds resumed singing. A second pair joined in, they both duetted vigorously from about 100 yards distance. This continued for about 30 minutes, until it became fairly light and the stellar's jays started harassing them. I was lucky to see at least three of these big owls.
I was home eating lunch with George when Andy Frank texted me about a burrowing owl seen at a Amazon warehouse parking lot in Troutdale. I hustled out of the house with George. Despite such a sterile and uninviting environment we soon found the owl among some corporate landscaping.
After dinner I took Charlie to check on the Tryon Creek barred owls. We found two birds in the same general area they occupied two years ago. We were lucky to see the female bird return to a cavity, which I assume to be the nest site.
March 29-30th. I took the boys out to Cottonwood Canyon for a camping trip. I checked in on a nesting great-horned owl that I had seen a couple weeks ago on the Celilo Wasco Road. At the park itself I looked for barn, screech and long-eared owls. I found none. I did hear a singing great-horned from the fireside after the boys had gone to bed.
The boys on the hike out to the barn owls site at Cottonwood Canyon
The next day I decided to try some back roads. I found a very pale great-horned nesting very low in a stunted willow, and it's mate in a nearby abandoned barn. I also found two other great-horned owl nests, one with two chicks. On the way home we checked out the Old Dalles Hood River Road for pygmy owls but found none.
March 31st. I visited Tryon early in the morning and saw one pygmy owl singing high in a Doug fir. I also found a male barred owl roosting next to the nest hole.
After dark I was walking Maile in the neighborhood (Sellwood) and heard a barn owl repeatedly screech. This is the first time in several years that I have heard one in near my home.
April 5th. I drove out to Larch mountain late on a cool Friday evening. I tried for pygmy owl on the lower slopes, but found none. I drove up to the gate, then returned, stopping frequently to listen for saw-whet owls. It was cold and a little breezy. It wasn't until the lower mixed forest that I heard a saw-whet. I tried to descend the steep soft slope through tangles of vine maples to get closer, but the little owl soon stopping singing.
April 6th. I took George out to Whitaker ponds in search of a reported "easy" great horned owl nest with two juvenile birds in it. Instead we found both adults, roosting a few hundred yards apart, but no evidence of a nest.
April 7th. On a damp morning the whole family went to Tryon Creek. We found the female barred owl peering from it's nest cavity. Perhaps she was hungry after a couple of wet nights?
At dusk Tui and I visited Whiticker Ponds, where we saw three large juvenile great-horned owls in a tree cavity. The young birds looked almost ready to fledge. A parent was also present.
April 13th. I hiked around Reed Canyon and found one roosting barred owl perched in the same place I saw it last weekend, high in a Doug fir.
April 14th. I woke at 4am and went to Reed Canyon in search of screech owls. I found none, but did hear a barred owl. I then drove up to Mount Tabor, and tried again for screech owls. Again none. But I did find a single great-horned owl at dawn, making a soft contact honk.
Later that morning I took Tui and the boys to Fort Vancouver. I found an adult and a fledged juvenile great-horned owl roosting in a cedar tree.
Charlie and I returned to Mt Tabor in the evening in search of more great-horned owls. Eventually we found a nest with two large juveniles. We waited until dusk, but never saw their parents.
April 20th. The kids cousins were in town for the weekend. They wanted to see owls, so we went to Tabor and found an adult and two fluffy juvenile great-horned owls. The cousins were dissatisfied with the views, so we went to Tryon State Park in the evening. Everyone got excellent views of the male barred owl hunting. I also got to see the female owl peering out of the nest cavity.
April 21st. I got up at 3am and headed out to Larch Mountain. (I had owled there a few weeks ago on a cold breezy night, but the results had been underwhelming). I ventured up to MP 8 on Larch mountain road, but all my detentions were lower on the mountain. I heard a singing saw-whet, that I was frustratingly close to but could not find. I then heard a pair of duetting great-horned owls. I flushed a barred owl as I drove along the road. I heard one pygmy owl in the darkness, and then two more after dawn.
I took George out for an evening walk around Reed Canyon. We couldn't find barred owls in the usual roost trees, but a flock of raucous crows helped me find a hunting barred owl in a willow tree.
April 22nd. Andy Frank had told me about a screech owl in his neighborhood. We met after work and found the bird singing well before dark. Unfortunately it remained stubbornly out of view in a dense conifer.
April 25th. George and I went to Mt Tabor to check on the great-horned owl nest. We found two juveniles that were dispersed from the nest. One was practicing flapping its wings, and the other was hanging clumsily from a branch. Nearby the mother owl kept a watchful eye on everything.
That afternoon I picked up Charlie from school. We drove down I5 to Southern Oregon. Our first stop was the dry hills East of Merlin, where we eventually found a singing pygmy owl. We cooked dinner up there, then drove south east to Savage Creek Road. By now it was dark. Charlie had fallen asleep in the car. I was searching for barred owl, but despite a lot of stops, I heard non. I did hear a great-horned owl. Exhausting the area, we found a camping spot in the forest and I set up camp. While doing so a long-eared owl called nearby!
April 26th. I woke early and got breakfast ready while Charlie slept in. Our first stop of the day was the hills above Talent. Despite getting a little disorientated, (Google maps really don't do a great job of the forest service roads), at our fist stop we heard a pair of pygmy owls. I soon got views of one of the tiny owls flying overhead.
Buoyed we drove back into town and up to another spot in the hills off of Anderson Butte road. A pair of barred owls had recently been reported. We arrived late in the morning, and if there were barred owls, they remained stubbornly silent. We ended up handing out in the location all day. We passed the time making spears and swords from sticks, tending a camp fire and looking for animals. After dark we searched for barred and saw-whet owls, but despite great-looking forest, heard neither. A singing long-eared owl was a nice surprise.
While driving off the mountain, Charlie fell asleep. I slowed down to check out a roadside fox, which turned out to be a lost dog. The dog was friendly and hopped in the car. Around the corned was a much larger and more fearful dog. With trepidation I lifted it into the car. The dogs had tags, but there was no reception on the mountain. Lower down, I was able to call and eventually connect with the owners and return the dogs.
The last goal of the night was to search Ditch Creek Road for saw-whet and barred owl. Again, despite great habitat, I found neither. By 1am. I set up camp at the edge of a clearcut.
April 27th. Despite a light frost we both slept well. After breakfast we drove to a site Northwest of Merlin were we found a beautiful barred owl at the side of a small creek.
Back at home, Tui, George and I went to Reed Canyon, where we quickly found the barred owl low in a cedar tree.
May 2nd. After work George, Maile and I drove down to Douglas County. Near Sutherlin I saw a road-side barn owl. We camped that night in a clearcut in the hills.
May 3rd. I woke early and got to enjoy a couple of cups of coffee on a chilly morning before George awoke. We drove East of Shady Cove in Jackson county in search of barred owls. I had a hard time getting to one site, due to a downed tree blocking the forest road. I coaxed George up a long sunny hike, where we found several mountain quail, but heard no owls. We tried another site above lost creek reservoir, but again found no owls. By now it was hot and sunny, so we went down to the reservoir, where George played for hours while I loafed around. By mid afternoon, we drove to another site, this one just west of Shady Grove. We waited for dusk, but yet again, no barred owl. We finally gave up and drove out to Heppsie Mountain. I got great views of a singing saw-whet owl, and heard another at out campsite. I also saw a roadside jackrabbit and small fox. In the middle of a night a pick-up drove past the tent. It stopped nearby and the driver played a coyote call, and then came a gunshot. The truck drove back past our tent without further incident.
May 4th. We awoke in a beautiful stand of open trees, near a grassy ridge. We spent a long lazy morning cooking food and enjoying the view. A pygmy owl called on and off from far below. Later we drove up to fish lake and searched the beautiful, and still snowy old growth forest for barred owls. Still no barred owls. On the way down the hill into Ashland we got a flat tire, fortunately we found a Les Schwab just up the road. After we got the tire replaced we drove up Anderson Creek road, again in search of barred owls. Despite a caterwauling pair being reported at the site two days ago, George and I spent 4 hours, waiting until dark without hearing a peep.
On the drive down to Medford we saw a roadside screech owl and heard two more screech owls and flushed a poorwill. My final plan for getting a barred owl in Jackson county was to return to Ditch Creek road (where I had looked for saw-whet owl with Charlie last weekend). After several stops I heard a pair of barred owls, and a singing great-horned owl. We camped at a clearcut, near the top of the hill.
May 5th.
At dusk I took George and his cousin Tausala to Reed Canyon. We found a barred owl perched in a cavity, presumably the nest site. Later we found one bird actively hunting after sunset.
May 11th. I got up at dawn and drove out to Macleay Park. I was searching for barred owls, and eventually after hiking up passed the Audubon House I found a single barred owl. Again this bird was silent.
May 19th. Tui and I walked around the East end of Reed Canyon and dusk. We watched a beaver swim under a tiny footbridge barely a foot from our feet. At the barred owl nest site we could hear two juvenile owls begging for food, and were able to see one juvenile being fed by an adult high in a maple tree.
May 22nd. I took my friend Chad, and Charlie out to Reed Canyon to check on the nesting barred owls. We found two juvenile owls together high in a Doug fir, and heard a third juvenile.
May 23rd-27th. I decided to take George and Maile around the Blue and Ochoco Mountains for a four night camping trip. After work I gulped down dinner and loaded up the car. We drove out along the Columbia Gorge, then South through Wasco and Condon. After dark I did a little owling near fossil but saw and heard nothing. We stopped to camp at Bear Hollow County park. While setting up the tent I heard a flammulated owl singing. Later in the middle of the night I woke to a singing great-horned owl.
After a lazy start (George slept in), we drove out along Lost Valley road and eventually onto Morrow. I was hoping for Pygmy owl in the forest, or short-eared owl in the grassland, but found neither. The weather turned to showers, and eventually heavy rain. At Morrow, we headed Southeast along the Blue Mountain Scenic Parkway into the mountains, and then down a long forest road to Potamus Point.
Potamus Point
We had to wait out a thunderstorm, before we could get out and enjoy playing at a pond and checking out the views (there's a deep canyon below the point). We built a big fire to dry George's wet shoes and cook dinner.
Dinner site near Potamus Point
After dinner we walked along a riparian corridor in search of pygmy owls, but found only pine cones and creeks to play in. After dark George fell asleep and I started search in earnest. I heard at least 7 flammulated owls. I tried to see them, but with George asleep in the car, I was reluctant to spend a long time, walking deeper into the forest. I did see a beautiful saw-whet owl singing from low in a creekside aspen. We camped in some open ponderosa forest and slept well.After breakfast we drove back towards the Parkway. I had been checking out the riparian meadows for great-gray owls. I noticed a taller fence post, and was thrilled when I pulled over to see a beautiful great-gray. I was able to watch this bird hunt from the fence for several minutes before it flew off on gigantic wings. What a brilliant bird! We drove just a short distance east to Umatilla County, where we found a nice creak side meadow. We spent the day playing in the meadow and dodging thunderstorms by reading in the car. Maile found a heard of elk and took off after them. Fortunately she returned before we sent out a search party. I had high expectations of finding good owls in the riparian habitat, but we found none. After dark I drove around and heard a couple of flammulated owls. It was raining lightly, and their was a light wind. Eventually we found some nice ponderosa parkland to camp in.
After our usual routine of making a campfire, brewing coffee and frying bacon we headed out.
Camp Site in Umatilla County
We drove down towards John Day, stopping at some roadside meadows to search for short-eared owls, which we could not find. At John Day George identified a DQ sign, and we stopped for a chicken and ice cream lunch. We then drove out towards Paulina. I was hoping to look for great gray and pygmy owls in the forest above John day, instead we had a huge thunder storm. Near Paulina we found antelope, honey badgers, ferruginous hawks and golden eagles. We spent a long time looking for both short-eared and burrowing owls.
Grasslands near Paulina
A pick up truck stopped and asked us if we had broken down. I was surprised to see the driver was about 13. Things are different in Paulina. Eventually, I found a pair of burrowing owls in a prairie dog colony. A roadside great-horned owl at dusk was a bonus. I drove North towards Michell, with a goal of finding saw-whet owl in Wheeler county. Like last night I encountered wind, and a lot of rather open ponderosa forest. I didn't find any owls, and eventually gave up and camped in the high forest.It rained on and off for most of the night. Fortunately we stayed dry. It took some determination, but eventually I was able to light a very smokey fire and cook breakfast. George and I found a snow patch and played snow balls, while Maile chase a deer. We drove back through Fossil and Condon, finding a lovely male barn owl roosting in a roadside barn (near Condon).
June 7th. George, Maile and I headed out to Tygh Valley (East of Mount Hood). At dusk we hit a deer and spun the car into a ditch. Amazingly George slept through the whole ordeal. It took a while to realize I could drive the car home. Amazingly I was able to drive out of the ditch. I felt really sad about smashing up the car and not being able to camp with the wee man. Just West of Sandy a barn owl flew over Highway 26.
The Civic was able to limp home after hitting a deer
June 14-16th. My Civic did not survive last weekend's collision with a deer. I bought an electric car the day after the crash and this weekend we tested it out. 
Electric Car (hopefully I will have some great owling trips in this one)
George, Maile and I drove out to the Tygh Valley area. We cooked dinner on a camp fire and waited for dusk while listening to nighthawks and poorwills. It didn't take long to hear a flammulated owl, and soon after I found it singing low in a ponderosa tree. I always love seeing this fantastic little owls, with their perfect camouflage and over-sized songs. Nearby a great horned owl squawked. We drove back towards Highway 35 where I heard a barred owl higher up.The next day we awoke to great views of mount hood.
View from our campsite
I briefly heard a pygmy owl but could not see it.August 4th. I have been doing a lot of camping, but virtually no owling in Oregon these last two months. Tui and I took a walk at dusk around Reed Canyon, and we found an actively hunting barred owl. We spoke with a dog walker who told us that there is a family of five in the Canyon, so it seems like they have not dispersed from their nesting site.
Aug 22nd. I had fallen asleep on the couch when I woke around 11pm and heard a barn owl screeching. The bird was briefly in Westmoreland Park (my 115th species for the park), then moved North towards Bybee calling frequently.
Aug 30th. George, Maile and I traveled out to the Blue Mountains for the Labor Day weekend. I decided to take the electric car, which probably isn't the easiest way to travel in rural Oregon. We made a quick stop in Hood River to charge up the car. Unfortunately while managing George (who wants to operate the charger), I failed to notice I left my debit card in the card reader. (Fortunately I realized a few hours later and was able to cancel the card). We pulled into Arlington and it was 95 degrees. The fast charger there was broken, so we plugged the car into a slow charger and took a cooling swim in the Columbia River. After an hour we headed out of town. Still low on charge I decided to stop again in Ione. By now it was warm evening and George was asleep. The charging station was set in a nice park. I cooked dinner on a stove in the park. Reluctantly I woke George and fed him dinner. We were just finishing up when the automatic sprinklers turned on and we had to make a mad dash for the car.
It was completely dark when we left Ione. This worked out nicely as I found a lovely pale great-horned owl just out of town. We drove up into the Blue Mountains and camped at the edge of Divided Well Campground. I let George sleep in the car, while I drank a couple of beers and listened for owls. The stars were brilliant, the air cool and slightly dusty and the owls silent.
Aug 31st. At dawn we walked a large meadow in search of owls, but found none. We then drove West to Penland Lake where we swam and cooked lunch on the stove. We continued West, to be briefly delayed by a calf stuck in a cattle guard. (A rancher and a sheriff helped it out). By mid afternoon we reached Bull Prairie Lake. We had a lovely long swim in the lake, then loafed around until evening. We walked up the entrance road which followed a creek and corresponding patch of thick dark spruce and firs. A couple of bow-hunters let us know that a cougar was seen here yesterday. I kept George and Maile close by. Eventually we found a singing pygmy owl high in a dead pine tree. Late in the evening we drove down a small gravel road to the East in search of owls. I heard a lot of elk bugling in the dry meadows and eventually discovered a family of screech owls. I saw one, and heard a couple of others nearby in a riparian corridor.
We camped just out of the campground so Maile could roam.
Sep 1st. In the morning we looked for pygmy owls, but found none. We spent much of the warmer part of the day at the lake, either swimming or in a picnic area. We hiked around the lake and found a mantis eating butterfly alive, something that George found fascinating. In the evening we drove North into Morrow County and then onto Kinzua Road. Here we took a hike and tried again for pygmy owls.
George and Maile listening for pygmy owls
It was beautiful open country, and the light was great.
Dusk on Kinzua Road
Eventually it got dark and I switched over to saw-whet owls. Within a few minutes I found a singing bird, and ended up getting great views of this charming little owl.We drove North off the plateau towards Heppner, stopping along the way to look for screech owls in the creek-side willows and cottonwoods. I found none, but did see a roadside great-horned owl. We pulled into Anson Wright Memorial Park to set up camp.
Around midnight I woke to the sound of duetting screech owls.
Sep 2nd. I woke again around 6am to a signing pygmy owl. After breakfast we headed home, stopping in Heppner, Arlington (where we swam again) and Hood River to charge. (If we had access to a fast charger before Hood River we could have done the whole drive with one short top off).
Sep 7th. The whole family went to Reed Canyon. We stumbled upon a young barred owl perched low above the water. Tui was able to take this photo before it flew up to a higher perch.
Barred owl stretching a wing
Sep 13-15. I picked up George from school on Friday and drove out to the Blue Mountains East of Walla Walla in search of boreal owls. I usually access this area from Tollgate, but heard the road was rougher than usual so decided to approach from the north. Unfortunately far up Mill Creek Road we came to a locked gate. Lacking WiFi or a map of Washington, we returned to Walla Walla. I made a second run, up into the mountains, but again we were turned back by a deeply rutted road. By now it was 1130pm. I was pretty tired, and decided to hide the car in a grove of trees (on some private farmland) and camp. The only consolation for the night were seeing a great-horned and barn owl from the road, and hearing a great-horned owl from the tent.
I slept lightly as the full moon shone through the tent. We got up at dawn, drove to Walla Walla and charged up the car at a free charging station at Providence Hospital. We then drove back to Tollgate and then north into the mountains. We stopped at Jubilee Lake, where we enjoyed a brisk swim. We hiked around the lake to warm up after and I saw a couple of black bears. At dusk I set out along Skyline Road searching for Boreal owls. I have done this several times before, and unfortunately this year was no different, with no Boreals detected. I did hear bugling elk and singing coyotes, and the big harvest moon was beautiful. I also saw a great-horned owl in the headlights. Eventually we came to an impassable section of the road. I tried a new stretch of road to the southwest of Skyline, and although the habitat looked good (ridge top meadows). We eventually stopped at 1230am and set up camp.
I heard another singing great-horned from the tent.
Oct 23rd. Charlie and I were walking Maile in our neighborhood, when we saw a barred owl fly across the street.
Oct 24th. I was walking Maile before dawn when I heard a screech owl barking across the street from my house.
Oct 26th. Charlie, Maile and I walked around Reed Canyon. We found a barred owl roosting at the West End of the canyon.
Late in the day I took George and Maile to Willow Bar on Sauvies Island. We built a fire, cooked quesadillas and watched the sun set. We heard a singing great-horned owl after dark.
Oct 27. I took George and Tui to Reed canyon to check out the barred owl. It was in the same tree that Charlie and I found it in yesterday.
Nov 3rd. The whole family went to Reed Canyon for a walk and we easily found the barred owl in a small Doug Fir at the West end of the canyon.
Nov 8th. On a beautiful sunny fall morning, Maile and I walked Oaks Bottom. I found a barred owl roosting in a stand of small Doug firs. Latter a murder of scolding crows revealed a beautiful great-horned owl.
Nov 9th. Chuck Gates had reported four short eared owls in Crook county. This would be a new county owl for me, so I packed up the car and drove out with the boys and Maile.
The boys waiting for sunset
We met up with Chuck and his wife and waited. After sunset the owls emerged from the tall grass and started hunting. We saw at least six, possibly more short-eared owls hunting. That night we camped just north of hollow skull campground.
Nov 11th. George, Maile and I walked around Oaks Bottom. It was a beautiful mild fall evening. At the broken ash tree I found the roosting screech owl. We waited until dusk and got to see it fly from the cavity and into a small tree.
Nov 16th. George, Maile and I walked around Reed Canyon late in the afternoon. We were checking out a usual roosting site, when we accidentally flushed a roosting barred owl from low in a fir tree. The owl flew a short distance to a branch above us, where it watched us nervously.
Nov 17th Late int he afternoon I took George and Maile to Broughton Beach on the Columbia River. A dog walker flushed a short-eared owl, which was soon mobbed by a gang of crow.s The owl flew really high, with the crows doing their best to keep up. Later we saw two short-eared owls flying out over the Columbia at dusk. On the drive home a great horned owl flew low in front of the car and vanished into a stand of willows by a slough.
Nov 24th. I walked Mail along the side of Oaks Bottom at dusk and found the screech owl in the usual cavity in a broken ash tree.
Nov 28th. I took George to Scappoose Airport in search of short eared owls. The rough pasture where I had found them last winter had been mowed so we quickly abandoned our search and headed out to Scappoose bottoms. While scanning the wet fields I heard, then found, low in a cottonwood, a singing great horned owl. Just as I was ready to leave, I found a short eared owl near the dike. On the drive home I found a pair of great-horned owls silhouetted in a small tree.
Dec 1st. George and I went out late in the afternoon to Sauvie's Island. We walked Rentenar Road at Dusk hoping for a short-eared owl, but found none. We stopped at a slough on the way home, where I heard a saw-whet owl.
Dec 7th. I walked Maile out to the Oaks Bottom overlook and spotted the screech owl far below in a hole int he broken ash tree. Late in the afternoon, I walked around Reed canyon and found two roosting barred owls at opposite ends of the canyon. (This is the first time that I have found two barred owls here in the winter).
Dec 8th. At dusk I walked past the sad encampments of homeless people at the North end of Oaks Bottom. Once it was dark I heard a saw-whet owl call briefly.
Dec 14th. George, Maile and I drove out to Scappose airport late in the afternoon. We walked around the west end of the airport while the sun set. Two short-eared owls hunted over the rough pastures to the south east of the runway. Later a great-horned owl flew over the same area while another called nearby. In the distance a pack of coyotes howled, so we called Maile close, and headed back to the car,
Dec 15th. I decided to follow up on some ebird reports. The whole family visited Whitiker Ponds where we found a pair of great-horned owls roosting in a doug fir. Next we drove to Portland Children's Arboretum. I found a roosting great-horned owl, and was shown another by Chris Strickland while the boys played hide and seek.
Later in the afternoon I stopped by the West end of Reed Canyon, where I quickly found the barred owl in the usual roost site. I decided to check out the East end of the Canyon, where a couple of noisy Stellar's jays gave away another roosting barred owl. I then drove out the the overlook at Oaks bottom, but could not see the screech owl that roosts in an ash tree. A murder of crows cawing alerted me. I hiked down the bluff and found a beautiful pale barred owl peering from a large tree cavity.
Dec 22nd. George and I made the most of a break in the rain and took a walk around Oaks Bottom. We found the screech owl actively preening in the usual cavity in a broken ash tree. At the North end of Oaks a murder of noisy crows led us to an agitated great-horned owl. Soon a pair of ravens and surprisingly a noisy red-shouldered hawk joined the melee.
Later in the afternoon I visited Reed Canyon and found one barred owl at the East end of the lake.
Dec 28th. I took Maile, George and Charlie to the south end of Scappoose airport at dusk. The boys delighted in scooting along a new road that's yet to open to traffic. Maile hunted voles out in the pastures. We found two hunting short-eared owls.
Dec 29th. I walked to the overlook at Oaks Bottom and found the screech owl roosting far below in a broken ash tree. Later I visited Reed Canyon and found a barred owl at the East end of the canyon.
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