Nayarit, Mexico 2020

Mexican barred owl has always been an enigmatic bird. Unlike their Northern counterparts, who are common and conspicuous, the Mexican birds where unknown apart from some very old records. About 20 years ago taxonomists suggested that the Mexican birds were a separate species. This made sense because the Mexican population is isolated by hundreds of kilometres from the nearest Northern birds in Texas. Others felt this was very controversial as owl taxonomy is greatly influenced by differences in their song, and the Mexican birds were unknown in the wild. This all changed in 2015 when Andrew Spencer and Nathan Piplow discovered a family of Mexican barred owls in La Noria, Nayarit https://earbirding.com/blog/archives/4905. They were able to photograph and record the voices of the owls. The songs are very different from the Northern birds, which strongly supports the two populations representing two species. As soon as I read their report, I started dreaming about visiting La Noria and searching for the owls myself. When the covid pandemic broke out, my original travel plans were postponed, so a short trip to Mexico made sense. I called a local guide, Antonio Robles https://www.mexicanbirding.com/, who said he would help me. A week later I bought my airline ticket. As the departure date drew closer I started to worry that covid would fuck up the trip and the flight would be cancelled or I would be barred from entering Mexico.

July 2nd I take care of the boys all day while Tui works. After dinner Charlie and I walk over to my friend John's home to pick up paper copies of my airline tickets he'd printed for me. We have all been under quarantine for three months and John looks unusually long-haired, having not seen a barber since the winter.

Tui drops me off at the airport. I say goodbye to her and the boys, then walk into the terminal. Inside it's very quite because of covid. People look anxious and is masked. I feel like everyone is departing for a funeral, except me, I am going to look for owls. I have my temperature checked by a Volaris ground agent wearing a face shield, mask and latex gloves, then I get my boarding pass. People follow social distancing, until we enter the plane. The Airbus is completely full, and after boarding we wait a full hour in the hot plane before we take off. Curse this fucking plague.

July 3rd. I sleep for most of the flight despite the tight seats. As the plane taxis into Guadalajara I peer out a rain-streaked widow into the night and see puddles on the wet asphalt. There is plenty more crowding to endure on the bus ride to the terminal and standing in line at immigration. I have my temperature taken again and then am allowed into Mexico. What a relief! I am unable to get my phone to work, so instead of calling the car rental company, I take a cab to their office. They give me a small, manual silver Chevy. The car's empty, so I head straight for a gas station for gasoline and coffee. A man opens the door for me into the gas station store, and I drop a ten peso coin into his leathery, sad hand, with nails like little claws.

I have driven across Guadalajara several times, and like in the past it's easy and fast to cross this big city of eight million. Soon after hitting the open road, I'm pulled over by a police check point. I wait uncomfortably in my car watching other vehicles be searched. Eventually I'm dismissed without explanation. The drive to Tepic passes blue gray mescal fields, huge volcanoes and and finally green cane fields. Many valleys were choked in clouds, but above the sky was mostly clear and beautiful.

View from the road on the drive to Tepic

Traffic is light and it's fun to drive fast. I don't have cellular, so I have to stop at an Oxxo in Tepic to ask directions. A helpful clerk connects me to WiFi, and I get it figured out. I meet Antonio at the parking lot of a Bodega Aurrea (Mexican Walmart). Antonio is a young and thoughtful bird guide from Nayarit.  

From the city of Tepic it's just a 15km drive up to La Noria, a tourist ranch with cabins that mostly serves Mexican people who want a mountains retreat. When we arrive a group of girls in royal blue dresses are having their quinceanera photos taken. We check out the forest to learn the trails and make a better plan for tonight's owling. The forest is mostly pine and oak that cloaks the slopes of a large volcano that rises above the ranch. After the social restrictions of covid, it's great to be able to talk with Antonio. We are delighted to discover I stayed at his grandma's hotel, Casa Maria, in San Blas back in 1994. He concedes he has only seen Mexican barred owl once before, which affirms my concern that this isn't going to be a walk in the park. 

By early afternoon I am tired and decide to take a siesta. I have a nightmare about a cheetah attacking me. I don't know if it's because we found puma scat on the trail earlier or a metaphor for my covid fears. I wake feeling groggy and accidentally lock the car keys in the bedroom. The cabin key won't open the bedroom door. I check the windows. The first is locked. The second is open. With enthusiasm I pull myself up and into the room. My enthusiasm turns to horror as I realize from the leather purse on the bed that I have climbed into our neighbor's room. I jump out quickly. Miraculously the four young Latinas are sat just a few feet away listening to music and are talking up a storm. They pay me no mind. Still locked out, we figure out we can pull away the trim, and slide a knife to push the latch and release the door. We drive down the steep winding road to Tepic. Most places are closed due to covid, so we settle on a formal hotel restaurant in downtown. I'm vegan and Antonio's vegetarian. There is nothing for us on the menu, but the waiter kindly suggests that they can fry some vegetables and serve them with beans and tortillas.

Church in central Tepic

After a good meal we return to the cabin around dusk. Although the owl has been seen near the cabins, it's very noisy tonight with people singing and playing music. We decide to owl the trail system that we had explored earlier today. I am startled by a trail cam with a flash. The forest is beautiful tonight. The air is cool and dry and smells like pines. There's a full moon and everywhere are fire flies.

View from the rim of the crater at dusk

We eventually hike down a very steep trail into a volcanic crater. The floor of the crater is a rough pasture, the grass silver in the moon light. Above a black forest of thick oaks and pines, then higher still a blinding bright moon. We hear a great-horned owl, four mottled owls and three whiskered screech owls. 

We eventually find a couple of very vocal screech owls along the rim of the crater. It's been twenty one years since I've seen this owl. I am surprised just how diminutive it is compared to a Western screech owl. It's feet are especially weak and tiny. It's underparts are strongly marked and contrasting. Both birds are gray rather than red phases. They have yellow eyes and greenish bills.

Whiskered Screech owl taken by Antonio

Whiskered screech owl by Antonio

By now it's midnight and I am really tired. We agree to sleep for a couple of hours and try again before dawn.

July 4th. I don't normally have nightmares, but I dream of a bridge collapsing and a car falling into the water. Inside a family screams as the car fills with water. (My nightmares must be covid tensions). We return to the same trails at 4am. The same trail cam with a flash startles me. At the end of the trail we hear a distant Mexican barred owl from across the valley. We decide to hike back around on the trail, rather than bushwhack directly. Along the way we hear two really close mottled owls. I can't resist spotlighting these birds for a quick minute, before hustling along the road towards where we heard the Mexican barred owl. Dawn is fast approaching. Unfortunately we don't see or hear anything else. 

We walk slowly back to the cabin and sleep from first light until late morning. The kitchen is open for the weekend and several ladies are preparing corn tortillas on a wood burning stove. I ditch my vegan ideals and we enjoy fresh cheese quesadillas, salsa, spicy pickles and hot black coffee. Sated we set off to explore the trails that lead up the main volcano. Again, we are not really looking for owls, just scouting for the best trails that lead to the really good forest with the most mature trees. It's a beautiful hike that leads through great mountain oak forest. Near the end of the trail we pass through an orchard and we find some fallen peaches to devour. Thick mist starts to pour into the valley, followed by rain. We retreat to the cabin. Later we drive back down into Tepic in search of food. We buy a pizza and feast on it in the Chevy, with the widows all steamed up. Back in La Noria at dusk it's still raining heavily. At least it's just an isolated cell over the volcano, and not a big weather system. We drive down the gravel road and away from the volcano for a few minutes and park up by a roadside alter. Despite the weather, the figure inside is illuminated by yellow candle light. The weather has improved, and we set of down the road under a light rain. A huge electric storm lights up the sky, with lightning so bright that it lights up the huge trees above us like an arboreal cathedral. Along the way we hear three mottled owls and Antonio hears a distant Mexican barred owl. A couple of hours later we return to the car and the weather has dried up. We stop at the cabin for water, then set off for the volcano above La Noria. As we hike silently over wet pine needles we hear more mottled owls. Climbing a steep slope a surprised fox peers at me just a little ways ahead. It trots jauntily up the trail while I follow behind breathing heavy. I hear a noise like an animal ahead and am confused. Then I'm spotlighted. I am a little concerned that I have met a hunter (who may mistake me for a game animal), so I seek shelter behind a stout pine and greet the person. Luckily he's a camper who was calling out to his companions. Antonio explains our mission and the camper wishes us luck with the owls. We continue up the steep trail, making our way around wet slippery boulders. Even with my pulse pounding in my ears I hear a beautiful Mexican barred owl singing spontaneously from the pines ahead. 

We hike up the trail to get closer. The bird stops singing and we perch at the edge of a little grassy bluff overlooking the pines. We wait. Then Antonio whispers to me and gestures to a large pine. In the flashlight a glorious Mexican barred owl stares with unflinching black eyes! It's just a perfect creature; perched in a wet pine, with mist suspended from the crown of the tree; in this wild lovely place. Between the dark eyes is a powerful, heavy, yellowish-orange bill. The facial disk is blank and pale gray. The neck and upper breast are barred and the belly heavily streaked with dark brown set in white. The flight and tail feathers are dark brownish gray, with whitish spots. The upper parts are dark grayish brown with white spots, small on the crown, and increasing in size down the back. Feet are large, yellow and powerful. I soak up the whole owl, while Antonio quickly sets up his camera and starts photographing.

A rare photograph of Mexican barred owl taken by Antonio

Mexican Barred Owl recorded by Antonio

The owl flies. We find a fallen log and rest for a minute.

  Antonio and I in the moment

Then two barred owls duet back and forth. The (presumed male) sings a six or seven note song. The spacing and quality of the song is clearly different, being less emphatic and resonant than a Northern barred owl. The other song (likely a female) has four notes and again is less emphatic and resonant than it's northern counter part. Think more like Bob Dylan (Mexican barred) vs Freddy Mercury (Northern barred). The two owls return under a bright moon to the original tree. He sings high in the brushy crown of the tree, out of sight to us. She perches below and poses, her wings hang low, still wet from the rain.

Female Mexican barred owl taken by Antonio

Mexican barred owl recorded by Antonio

Fucking brilliant! Just an amazing and beautiful creature. Probably Mexico's least known and most enigmatic bird. 

It's two in the morning and we are giddy but tired. We pick our way down the steep wet trail, both slipping on patches of mud. Deep in conversation about the owl and our luck we completely miss the turn off and have to hike back up the hill again to find it. It's three by the time we get to the cabin. I lie in bed and still can't believe our night.

July 5th. I sleep until eleven. We pack up and then say goodbye to Paulo, the easy going aquiline owner ofs La Noria. Entering Tepic we see a couple holding a beautiful cerulean flag asking for money. I struggle to recognize the flag. Antonio tells me they are Honduran people making their way North on the Pacific Railroad. He goes onto explain that in general they are well received by the people of Tepic, and some stay for a few months before slipping back onto the trains after nightfall and continuing their perilous journey. In Tepic we go to a vegetarian buffet. I've missed a few meals, so it's great to feast on thick corn tortillas made of hominy and flame roasted poblanos stuffed with onions, corn and cheese. 

I had planned on staying a third night at La Noria, but having seen the Mexican barred owl, we decide to head to San Blas, a fishing town about an hour down the road. San Blas is Antonio's home town and a great place for us to look for some owls that I have seen before, but are still special. I'd visited San Blas in 1994 and again in 2000. It's a really charming small town, with an amazing history. Ships from San Blas plied the route to Manila and explored the Pacific coast of America all the way to Alaska. We drive down the toll road to the coast and Antonio explains to me the complicated relationship between the state government, police, army and the cartels. A few years ago a cartel held this road for a month until an agreement was reached with the new governor. 

We stay in the Hotel la Casa de los Pelicanos https://sanblasrivieranayarit.com/en/lodging/casa-del-pelicano/ which is a lovely little place downtown, that's run by Antonio's mom. 

Late in the afternoon we drive up to La Bajada. This is a classic birding site in the foothills. Along the way we ford a small creek. We gently squeeze the Chevy passed a large family, soaking in the creek and barbecuing in the road. (The beach is closed due to covid, so this is the next best place). We drive up a stony track, through mango orchards and park under a large mango tree. The air is heavy with the rich smell of rotting fruit. It's really hot and humid. Orange-chinned parakeets shriek as they feast on over ripe mangoes. We hike up the track and soon enter scrubby tropical woodlands. Antonio calls in a Colima pygmy owl and for a minute we enjoy this angry little mite, before it returns into the forest. 

Colima pygmy owl taken by Antonio

A little higher up I hear a rustle. In the leaf litter I find a beautiful viper.

Mexican cantil, taken by Antonio

Antonio confirms the obvious, that this is a dangerous snake. He is really happy about this find. It's a lifer for him. I feel it's beautiful but repulsive all at one. Higher up the track we reach some nice taller forest. Antonio finds a Mexican woodnymph in a thicket. This is an uncommon endemic hummingbird that's new to me. We reach a spring. We both drink from the water that bubbles up from the forest floor. It's delicious and feel special because I never drink this way in the tropics.  We wait near the spring for nightfall. It is a beautiful place. The air is warm and the insects are loud. The cloudy sky is rich with yellows, mauves and grays. Antonio and I talk about life. After months of near isolation from covid it is really great to be able to talk. 

Our conversation is interrupted by a pair of singing mottled owls. Antonio spots them high in a tree and we see both birds fly overhead. We follow the stony track back to the car, careful to avoid any vipers along the way. We listen for Middle American screech owls, but hear none. We do find a cat-eyed snake. The hills resound with the songs of dozens of paraques. 

In the village of Bajada we grab a cold drink. Young Latinas are driving motor scooters. This is something new comments Antonio. Just a few years ago such agency was not acceptable in this community. We drive a little further, stopping by some cow pastures on the coastal plain. We search for barn owls, before being driven back by hungry mosquitoes and an absence of owls.  Our last stop for the night is the mangroves by the harbor. The place is deserted except for some skinny cats. It smells like the beach, warm mud and fish carcasses. It's intensely humid, and both wonderful and overwhelming. Hoards of tiny mosquitoes attack us. I coat my self in Deet, but it's not that effective. The tide is really high, so we have to pick our way along a partially flooded track, balancing on rocks or choosing the shallowest tidewater to walk through. We hear a Ridgeway's pygmy owl, but ignore it. Our quarry is Middle American screech owl, a much harder bird. Eventually we hear one screech owl briefly from deep in the mangroves. We continue along the flooded track. A little girl was recently eaten  by a crocodile here, so I try and keep an eye on the water. When we can go no further we stop and listen. Surprisingly a screech owl flies up into a mangrove tree and starts singing. It song is a insect like trill, and as it sings it's wings vibrate.  

Middle American screech owl by Antonio

Middle American screech owl by Antonio

It is a little after midnight when we make it back to the hotel. I struggle to calm down and sleep after such a great evening. Eventually I do, only to be woken by the sound of breaking glass. A young woman is crying and yelling. She shouts "puta". Her friends take her away. 

July 6th. My alarm wakes me at first light and I am completely disorientated. The big ceiling fan is still running on high and the hot air is churning around the room.

Down town San Blas at first light

We set of to Singayta, another classic Mexican birding site, just out of town. We arrive just before sunrise and park by a small mango orchard. It takes just a few minutes to find a territorial Ridgeway's pygmy owl. I love it's fierce eyes and longish tail that flicks from side to side like an agitated cat. We also find a golden-tailed emerald, a green hummingbird with an long elegant forked tail. 

Satisfied we leave Singayta and drive back up the green hills to Tepic. We eat breakfast at Tepic's other vegetarian buffet. The food is excellent, and because I only ate one meal yesterday I could have gorged, but Antonio eats modestly, so I follow suit. 

I run Antonio to a place where he can get a cab home. I am sorry to say goodbye. He's a very sharp eyed and observant guy. More than that he is really good company and I really enjoyed our long conversations. The drive up to Guadalajara airport is fast and easy, just like every journey I have taken on the cuarta (toll) roads in Mexico. I end up with too much time to kill at the airport, but least it's a comfortable place to be. On my trips I make a point of giving away whatever change I have accumulated to a janitor at the airport. This time the money changer is closed due to covid, so I am actually able to give a small lady who is determinedly mopping the floor a substantial handful of cash. 

The flight back on Volaris was just fine. I think of Mexico and dream of returning while the jet rushes towards the chaos and limitations of life in a pandemic. 

PS If you are concerned about the impact of your airline travel on global warming you can help mitigate this at https://www.goldstandard.org/take-action/offset-your-emissions

2020 owling

I live in Portland, Oregon with my wife Tui, two sons, Charlie (aged 8) and George (aged 5) and pitbull mix Maile. This post is about the local owls I found in 2020.

Jan 1st. Charlie, Maile and I walked a circuit around Oaks Bottom today. It was a surprisingly warm and sunny morning. We missed the screech owl that's often in a cavity but looked out on a lovely barred owl roosting low in a Doug fir.

Jan 5th. The whole family went to Cottonwood Canyon. We stayed at the cabins, which are perfect in the cold winter weather. I set my alarm for 3am and drove out to the Fossil area in search of owls. I found a pair of screech owls in mature juniper woods. I was struck by the song of the male screech owl, it began with a slightly hoarse pair of notes before the bouncing trill. I will have to listen to examples on Xeno-canto, but to me it sounded quite different to the birds I hear in Portland. I heard a third bird singing, and a possible 4th bird (just a short contact note.

I also heard a barn owl over horse pastures and what could have been duetting long-eared owls, but they were so distant and faint that I decided not to count them.

It was a cold and breezy night.

Jan 11th. After a tedious and rainy morning the who family took off for late afternoon walk/scooter ride at Scappoose. We found four short-eared owls hunting at the South end of the little airport (and many harriers, a few redtails plus a kestrel and a merlin).

Jan 12. I tool Maile out for a walk at sunset along Oaks Bottom. It was a cold evening with snow in the forecast. I found a barred owl resting in the usual stand of doug firs. Back at the broken ash I watched the roosting screech wake, then climb out of it's cavity, peer for ages, then swoop down into a thicket. It was followed by it's mate a minute later. They preened silently for a few minutes, then I left.

Jan 19th. I walked out to the overlook at Oaks Bottom. After a week of rain and snow it was sunny bright day. The screech owl was tucked in it's usual cavity in the broken ash tree.

Late in the afternoon I drove out to Seghers Road in Washington county where short-eared owls had been reported. I pulled up to a small group of birders and photographers enjoying the owls and a rough-legged hawk. There were at least three short-eared owls hunting over rough pastures. Several times the owls would squabble with Northern harriers.

Jan 20th. After dinner I drove out to Sauvie's Island in search of owls. I was surprised to find no large owls, but heard one and saw a second saw-whet owl.

Jan 25th. George and I drove out to Sauvie's island on a mild afternoon. We searched for barn and great-horned owls along Oak Island Road, but found neither. Undeterred we drove out to Scappoose Bottoms. I saw two distant short-eared owls and three great-horned owls. I also heard a fourth great-horned.

Jan 26th. Charlie and I visited Whiticker Pond and found a roosting great-horned owl in the usual fir tree. We also ran into Chris Strickland with whom we shared owl news. Later we also visited Portland Children's arboretum but failed to find any owls there.

At dusk I hiked through Reed Canyon with Maile. I hadn't found barred owls at Reed for about a month. Fortunately a scolding hermit thrush indicated a barred owl. Moment's later it flew high into a fir tree and made several "Hoo-haaw" calls. 

Jan 31st-Feb 2nd. Late on Friday I left Portland for Agate Lake in Jackson County where a burrowing owl was overwintering. I drove through the night stopping a couple of times at charging stations to top up the car.

Charging at Sutherlin

I arrived at Agate Lake at 430am and dozed on and off until 630am. I hiked out to the dam where the owl had been reported. I heard a distant great-horned owl at first light. Despite having a  good idea of where the owl had been seen I failed to find it. After a couple of hours of searching I decided to take a break. I drove in to Medford to charge up the car. After lunch I returned to the dam. I was walking around searching for the burrowing owl, when it flew out from a partially flooded burrow. The owl perched up on the dam and I was able to enjoy watching it from a distance through a scope. 

It was a long drive back up to Portland.

Feb 8th. Chris Strickland had told me about some nice owls he had found near Vancouver Lake. George and I drove across the river and found an area of flooded fields that Chris had described. We did quite a bit of hiking and were rewarded with one short-eared owl perched on a fence and later on we heard a great-horned owl.

Feb 9th. Tui and I walked along Oaks bottom and found the screech owl in it's usual cavity in an ash tree. Later, Charlie and I walked to Reed College and up through the Canyon. We were able to find both barred owls, one at either end of the canyon. We also walked past a small conifer splatted with whitewash. We were thrilled to find an anxious-looking screech owl perched low in the tree.

After dark I headed out into the West Hills to look for saw-whet owls with Andy Frank.  We didn't find any small owls, but did hear three barred and one great-horned owl plus a whole bunch of coyotes.

Feb 16-17th. I took George, Charlie and Maile to Alfalfa, Deschutes county where short eared owls had been reported. We arrived late in the afternoon and it was cold and windy. We waited until after sunset but didn't see any owls. We then tried driving slowly along the farm roads, scanning the fence posts for owls. We did find a great-horned owl, but no short-eareds. We camped just above Skull Hollow campground where we heard a pair of screech and a pair of great-horned owls singing from the tent. It was 26 degrees, but we stayed pretty warm thanks to our sleeping bags, the dog and a comforter.

Feb 22nd. I went birding at Sauvie Island with John Fitchen. It was a beautiful sunny day and we saw lot of good birds. At Coon Point we found a great-horned owl on the same nest it used two years ago.

Feb 23rd. In a sun break between squally showers I hiked through Reed Canyon and found one barred owl roosting at the upper end of the canyon.

Feb 29th. Charlie, Maile and I walked Broughton Beach in search of short eared owls at dusk but found none. We then drove out to Vanport to check up on the great-horned owls that have nested there for years. We saw a pair of owls perched in cottonwood trees by the slough, but could not find a nest.

March 1st. The whole family hiked through Reed Canyon. The boys flushed a barred owl and we got to see it hunting above the creek.

Later Charlie and I checked on the Oaks Screech owls. I saw two birds, one in a new cavity one tree over from the regular ash tree. Later Charlie, Maile and I hiked around Wapato on Sauvie's island. We heard a singing great-horned owl, but could not find it. On the drive home we passed a great-horned owl perched on a utility pole near Sauvie Island Market.

March 6th-8th I took Charlie and my Dad (who is visiting from England) out to Central Oregon. We stayed at a yurt in Tumalo State Park. On Friday night we heard a pair of singing great-horned owls. It was warm and sunny on Saturday afternoon, and we heard one owl calling. I was soon able to track down an owl in a Ponderosa. Across the river we found it's mate on a stick nest in a small cavity on a riverside cliff. 
On Saturday night I drove up some snowy forest roads in the Ochoco mountains. It was a cold, beautiful night with a bright moon. I heard a singing saw-whet. Later in a snowy meadow I heard a great-gray owl. On the way down I stopped and listened for owls and saw one and heard seven great-horned owls.

March 13-15th. I took Dad, Maile and the boys to Umpqua Lighthouse state park. It was unseasonably cold, with a little snow. Fortunately that didn't deter the owls. I went owling east of Lakeside in Coos county. I heard a screech owl, then three saw-whet owls in quick succession. Later I found a screech owl in the car headlamps and a pair of mating barred owls in an alder tree.

Back home Tui and I took a walk after dark through Reed Canyon, and we found a silent barred owl perched at head height just ten feet away.

March 20-22nd. Despite the corona virus the whole family ventured out to Grass Valley in central Oregon. On the first night we heard a pair of singing great-horned owls from the rental house. I tried to find them, but by the time I had gotten my boots on they had fallen silent. On Saturday we found a great-horned owl on a nest near Monkland. that night we drove a long loop via Clarno in search of long eared owls. Unfortunately we found none. That night I heard the great-horneds again. I rushed out without my boots, and saw one bird in flight.

March 22nd. I walked out to Oaks Bottom and found the pair of screech owls in the usual ash tree. I waited until dark and was able to watch them leave the tree and sing. Further to the south I heard a  second pair, and was eventually able to see one bird flying overhead.

March 25th. despite the corona virus out break George and I took a night hike around Tryon. Probably the safest place to be as we didn't meet a soul. We were accompanied by a pair of duetting barred owls that were just overhead. They were caterwauling so loudly that I had to reassure George that they eat mice and rats not boys.

March 28th. Despite the rain, I took the boys and Maile out to escape the monotony of shelter in place. We found a pair of screech owls in the usual ash tree. Surprisingly one was sat out in the open and sang briefly in the middle of the afternoon.

We ran into Ezra Cohen, who told us where to find an American bittern , which we got to enjoy from the trail.

On the way back up the hill, I found a third screech owl in an oak cavity. I hadn't seen one in this tree for a couple of years. That night I returned at dusk to the oak. The owl was still there, and eventually flew out and sang briefly. Unfortunately I was unable to see of hear it's mate.

March 29th. Brodie Cass Talbott had shared with me the location of the Vanport great-horned owl nest. The whole family escaped the confinement of home and drove out there. We soon found an adult owl and two large youngsters, one of which had climbed out of the nest.

A coworker had told me about a great-horned owl nest at Dawson creek in Hillsboro. I drove out there in the evening with the boys. As soon as we walked into the park we found an adult bird watching a large juvenile. We checked out he surrounding area, hoping for more owls, but never found any others.

April 1st. After a long day working from home I took Charlie and Maile out to Oaks Bottoms. We found three singing screech owls, including a third territory at the Northern end of the park. We also heard a singing great-horned owl, which Charlie saw in flight but I was never able to see.

April 2nd. I took a walk at dusk to Oaks Bottoms in search of the great-horned owl that Charlie saw yesterday. I didn't hear any great-horned owls, but did hear a screech owl in the NW corner of the reserve.

April 3rd. I took the boys and Maile Newton Road in Forest Park, where we quickly found a singing pygmy owl in the same place I saw it last year. We then headed out to the Metro property off McNamee Road. The old growth trail there is really beautiful, but we didn't find any owls there. Finally we drove around Sauvie's Island. The boys stayed in the car, while I checked various barns for barn owls, and stick nests for great-horned owls. I found two great-horned nests, each with an adult and a juvenile in them.

At dusk I headed out to Mount tabor in search of a pair of barred owls that had been photographed there. I didn't have more specific directions, but eventually heard them in some tall Doug firs. Despite my best efforts I was unable to catch sight of them. I did find a singing great-horned owl next to the Harvey Scott Statue at the summit.

April 5th. I took the boys out to look for barn owls in North Portland but found nothing other than pellets and a few feathers. We then drove up to Mt Tabor, which was hopping despite the corona virus shelter in place order. We quickly heard a singing barred owl and after a short and very steep hike where able to enjoy two beautiful barred owls at their nest site.

April 6th. A coworker, Lindi, had told me about a pair of loud owls along Condor Woodland trail in Gresham. I took the boys after work and we quickly found a pair of silent barred owls near Kelly Creek.

April 9-12. The boys, Maile and I escaped Portland for a long weekend and headed to Summer Lake. After work on Thursday we drove past Mt Hood. I had hoped to reach Little Crater Lake and do some owling in the open marsh, but Skyline road was blocked with snow. We made do with a sno park, parking lot. We took a night hike along Skyline road. I didn't hear any owls, but the boys delighted in playing in the snow. After we built a fire, and I enjoyed a beer and the boys had cocoa.

After a cold night in the snow we drove to Summer Lake. It was a slow drive, with a couple of stops to charge up the car, and another to cook dinner by a fire.

 We cooked dinner here, just above Summer Lake

Summer lake was wild and beautiful.

 Summer Lake

We hiked around and flushed out a long-eared owl and a couple of great-horneds from some thickets.  As it got late we found three short-eared owls hunting over the sage. We drove over to a big barn, hoping for a barn owl, but instead found another great-horned. Back at the community of Summer Lake, I checked the city park for screech owls, and found a pair of duetting great-horned owls. It was now dark and a little windy. I drove back towards Silver Lake, stopping at the pass to search for screech owls in the juniper forest. I was unable to find any, but did hear a saw-whet owl singing and had a close encounter with a long-eared owl which flew close by. In the distance another great-horned owl sang. I decided to drive through the farmland around Christmas Valley and onto Cabin Lake hoping to catch sight of a barn owl in my headlights. Unfortunately it was a windy night and I was unable to find any. Cabin lake was windy too, so I just put up the tent without owling there.

The wind woke me at daybreak. We spent the day loafing around. I was hoping that the wind would die down so I could search for pygmy owls, but it didn't. We did check out some caves, which were cold and icey. After dark we drove into Klamath County and did a little owling there. I soon heard a singing saw-whet owl. I headed back to Lake county and drove out to hole in the ground, again, searching for screech owl. Instead I heard a couple of long-eared owls in the open Ponderosa and one great-horned owl.

It was a really cold night (20degress), but remarkably the boys slept well.

 Our very cold camping spot near Hole in the Ground

After a hot breakfast we hiked and drove a little in search of pygmy owls, but found non.

April 14th. The boys and  I took Maile out to Oaks Bottom at Sunset. We heard one singing screech owl while it was still quite light and found another in the usual ash tree.

April 23-26. I took the boys and Maile out for a camping trip to the Blue Mountains. I had worked Sunday, so only had to work until midday on Thursday, then we left. The fast charger was broken at Arlington, so we had to drive further East to Hermiston than we had planned to pick up a charge. We had another long charge at Heppner, where we ignored the "park closed" signs and barbecued our dinner. We took a long beautiful evening walk around Heppner before leaving at dusk for the Blue Mountains North of Monument. It was a great night drive; we saw skunk, bob cat and a couple of elk. A thousand frogs sang from the pond by our campsite. I was woken a couple of times by a pair of singing great-horned owls. I got out and searched for them briefly, but they moved further away.

After a hot breakfast we descended from the plateau, stopping along the way at stand of taller firs, where I was able to find a singing pygmy owl. I tried but failed to find short-eared owls west of Monument. Our next stop was Prairie City, where last year barn owls nested in an old stone building. It was a beautiful drive along the John day River to Prairie City, the Strawberry Mountains to the South were still covered in lot of snow. I was a little disappointed that the hole the owls had used had been boarded up. Still the historic Hotel kindly let me use their car charger. We loafed around town waiting for sunset. George threw sticks into the stream, the boys wrestled in playing field and George waved at every pick up driver who passed us. At dusk we searched for barn owls, but found none. I tried a couple of spots just West of town, and had an barn owl come in close. We camped near the summit of the highway South of Fox. At night we could hear a couple of distant great-horned owls singing.

While cooking breakfast Maile wandered off. Usually she is good about checking in every few minutes. Despite our best efforts at shouting for us she didn't respond. An hour later we had wrapped up breakfast and were feeling despondent when she walked into camp, hungry but unharmed. I was immensely relieved. We drove up to Ukiah and then West along the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway, stoping at the same meadow George and I had visited last year. After a great hot lunch and a couple of beers we tried for pygmy owls but found none. Later we moved over to a nearby area at dinner time and set up camp by a little creek. After dark we heard a saw whet owl, some singing coyotes, a pair of great-horned owls and a great gray (singing from the back of an aspen grove).

We had a light frost, but the boys woke warm. After another hot breakfast we set of in search of pygmy owls but found none. Snow thwarted our attempt to travel down to Heppner. Fortunately the car had enough charge to make it to Hermiston, where we charged up and then headed home.

April 29th. George, Maile and I took a damp evening walk around Laurelhurst Park. I was surprised to hear a loud screech owl song from the far side of the park. It was still light and we were easily able to find the owl under a dense tree.

May 2nd. After being cooped up by the rain for most of the day, Charlie, Maile and I went out to Tryon in the early evening. It was beautiful and sunny as we walked the damp forest. Along Maple Ridge we heard a singing pygmy owl which we soon found perched high on a tall Doug fir. 

May 9th. I hiked around Oaks after dark and found 3 screech owls. two at the south end of the park and one by the broken ash tree.

May 10th. Charlie, Maile and I visited Tryon after late in the evening. I forgot Maile's leash, so had to fashion one from a backpack strap. We found a singing adult barred owl and two begging juveniles near last year's nest. We also heard one or two other owls calling in the distance. Near the car we heard a singing pygmy owl, but were unable to see it in the poor light.

May 14-17th. Charlie, George, Maile and I took a trip around central Oregon. We didn't arrive at Glass Butte (named for it's obsidian deposits) until 130am. It was a little below freezing, but that didn't deter the meadow larks and vesper sparrows from their night songs. I was hoping for a screech owl, but instead heard a long-eared and a pair of great-horned. We almost got stuck in the mud, and had the back down the road for aways before turning around. By 230am I was really tired and set up camp, carrying both boys into their sleeping bags.

While collecting firewood for a breakfast fire, I flushed a long-eared owl from a juniper tree. Later the boys and I found pellets and a feather from the owl.  We didn't arrive into Burns until noon. I was mighty relived when the Charge Point car charger worked as we were about 100miles from the nearest charger. After charging up we drove North on 395, stopping along the way to look for pygmy owls. We found a singing pygmy owl in a riparian area just south of Idelwild Campground. We spent the afternoon at the campground, taking a couple of short walks and building a good fire to cook dinner. Once it was dark we searched for flammulated owls, but found none. Nearby on road 31, we heard about 3 flammulated owls, and I was able to get really nice views of this enigmatic little owl in a Ponderosa. While the kids slept I drove North into Grant County. I parked up near a meadow and heard 4-5 flammulated owls and a great-gray owl.

Once we had cooked breakfast we explored the meadow in search of a great-gray, but found only mosquitos. Later we visited another meadow complex and hiked around in search of great-gray. We spent the whole day in the area cooking food, relaxing and looking for owls. That evening we drove West to Paulina and stopped by Tyler Groo's place. Tyler had seen long-eared owls on his property, and had kindly agreed to help me find them. The boys waited in the car while we explored the juniper trees. We found a poorwill perched on a fence post and heard a couple of packs of coyotes, but no owls. After dark we drove to Prineville reservoir, where we found a long-eared owl and were able to camp.

We woke to steady rain, so decided to pack and head back to Portland, stopping only in Madras to charge the Bolt.

May 22-25. The whole family went down to Southern Oregon for a short holiday trip with some owling. We stayed at a cabin at Crater Lake resort in Fort Klamath, arriving late Friday. Once we had eaten we took a walk by the pastures.

Fort Klamath

After dark we headed to some thick spruce and fir forest where I quickly found a flammulated owl. Then I droped Tui and the boys off at the cabin, I headed out to Chiloquin ridge in search of long eared owls. It was cold and fairly windy on the ridge and the owls were silent. After gassing up in Klamath Falls, I headed a little further south and found a barn owl nesting in a large new barn. I didn't get back to the cabin until 1am.

After canoeing on the creek by the cabin with Charlie, the whole family headed out to Jackson Kimball State Park. The spring waters were vivid.

Kimball Jackson State Park

We found a territorial pygmy owl singing high in a Ponderosa Pine. After more canoeing we headed out to Klamath Marsh in search of short-eared owls. It was a beautiful evening with stark views of the Cascades to the west.

Klamath National Wildlife Refuge

A myriad of waterbirds sang while elk waded into the marsh to feed. Unfortunately if the owls were breeding this spring we could not find them.

After more time canoeing with the boys on the creek we set off for Summer Lake. We stayed at The Lodge at Summer Lake, a small motel by the side of the highway. It was hot during the early afternoon, so we lazed around and waited for the light to get better. Late in the afternoon we drove out to the refuge and found three great-horned owls. Barn owls had nested at the headquarters last year but we were unable to find them. After dinner we drove up to the bluff high above town, heading towards Fremont Point. We searched for pygmy owls, but found none.

There has to be a pygmy owl here somewhere

On the way down we tried for screech owls on the juniper-covered rocky slopes but only found poorwills. I dropped everyone off, then continued around the refuge in search of barn and screech owls. A North wind had picked up and I was feeling tired, so I decided to sleep a little and try later.

I got up at three and set off back towards Silver Lake. Almost immediately I saw both a barn and great-horned owl in the headlights. I also heard some begging baby owls in a tight old juniper, but could not see them. From Silver Lake I headed south along Silver Creek Road. I stopped along the way checking for screech owl, then higher up around Sycan Marsh for great-gray. I found neither but heard many birds including great-horned owl, sandhill crane and snipe. I watched the day break at Thompson Reservoir than headed back towards Silver Lake, stopping along the way to search for pygmy owl.

Day break at Thompson Reservoir

After many roadside stops and just before I left the forest for the sagebrush steppe I eventually found a pygmy owl singing along a small creek side. The store was closed at Silver Creek, so I struggled a bit with the lonely drive back to Summer Lake without a coffee. After breakfast Charlie and I checked out the tight, knotted juniper tree where I had heard a young owl last night and we found an adult great horned, who stared us down from his perch. Returning back to Portland we all stopped at Fort Rock. I checked the cliffs for nesting barn or great-horned owls but found neither.

May 28-29. George, Maile and I took off for a one night camping trip on the far side of Mount Hood. We arrived at Little Crater Lake just before sunset. We walked along the Pacific Crest trail for a ways, returning in the dark. I was hoping for a great-gray or long-eared owl, but we only heard Wilson's snipe and nighthawks. 

We continued East; seeing a couple of elk crossing the highway. We camped in Wasco county. During the middle of the night I heard a distant owl. The structure of the song was similar to a spotted owl, but it lacked that species halting quality and the notes were delivered with a pitch and force more like a barred owl. At first light, I was awoken by the same owl. This time it was near our tent. By the time I had scrambled out of the tent the bird had fallen silent. I assume this was a spotted x barred owl hybrid, known as a "sparred" owl. (I have detected both species in the area). 

May 30th. George, Charlie, Mailie and I walked around Oaks and checked on the screech owls. We found two big juvenile owlets peering out of the nest hole around 630pm. Curfew be damned, I returned at dusk and ran into a local documentary film maker, Stephani, who was photographing the screech owls. In about 20 minutes, the adult birds returned three times to the nest, once with a vole and twice with earthworms. Both adult and juvenile owls were silent.

June 4-5th. George, Maile and I drove out to Olallie lake in search of barred and spotted owls. The road was much rougher than last time I had driven it. About a mile and a quarter before the lake I got the Rav4 stuck in an old snow bank. I tried diff lock, but it didn't help. 

Rav4 stuck in the snow

After some unsuccessful digging we decided to follow the tracks of a big truck that headed up the hill. Unfortunately there was no big truck up at the lake. We yelled,  "hello" like in some movie, but only the frogs replied. Back at the car, we lit a fire and we worked on digging the car out. By 11, we were tired and we set up the tent and went to sleep.

I woke up at 5 and set about boiling water, and using it to melt the ice that had formed in the tire ruts. After 4 hours of boiling water and pouring it on the ice, I was able to create two clear tracks. I waited 'till George woke, before attempting to drive out. Amazingly the car drove straight out. We hiked a few miles through the snowy county around Olallie lake late in the morning but found no owls.

Olallie Lake

When we were ready to leave the car was completely dead. Not even the lights on the dash would turn on. I know almost nothing about fixing cars, but did know to check the battery. Amazingly the terminal was loose, and I was able to hammer a multi tool into the loose terminal with a big rock. Now the car started. George was thrilled.

My battery terminal hack

May 6th. Charlie, Maile and I took an evening walk around Oaks Bottom. We stopped at the screech-owl nest site in the broken ash tree, but there were no signs of owls. We walked to the north end of the reserve. Back at the ash tree, we could hear scolding song sparrows and Berwick's wrens . Checking out the ruckus, I flushed a screech owl. We followed it down the trail, and heard it calling, then singing and finally found it perched low in a cedar tree. We watched it sing for a couple of minutes, and were able to show it to a passing hiker. 

June 9th. My friend Andy Frank had alerted me to a family of barred owls along Lief Erickson trail. George and I hiked up the trail on a rainy evening. We immediately found two adults hunting worms along the road. One bird was so take that we could walk up to four feet from it without it flushing. Around the corner we could hear three noisy juveniles begging for food. Within a couple of minutes we found 3 large juveniles. George called the five owl family a "finger family". 

 Juvenile barred owl taken by Andy Frank the next day

June 10th. George, Maile and I took an evening walk around Reed Canyon. A couple of scolding robins gave away a barred owl perched low in a thicket. I returned with Charlie and we found a begging juvenile being fed a vole by an adult bird.

June 16th. Charlie, Maile and I hiked around Powell Butte Nature Park in search of a reported barred owl family. We didn't find any barred owls, but a mob of scolding robins led us to a great-horned owl. It rained for a lot of the walk, but by the time we reached the top of the hill the weather had cleared and the sky was beautiful.

View from the top of Powell Butte

June 20th. Like most birthdays, this one was sort of frustrating and something that I just needed to get through. The day did end well. Chris Strickland had alerted me to a barn owl that was hunting at the south end of Oaks Bottom. I hiked around the meadow at dusk a couple of times with the boys and Maile. We had a really high flying barn owl pass over. The owl clicked once, which alerted us so we were able to enjoy it. George and I were able to find a singing screech owl low in a thicket of young cottonwood trees. (Charlie was leery of venturing into the thicket after dark).

June 26th/ George, Maile and I went owling in Eastern Marion County. I drove through some old growth forest after dark and listened for spotted owls. Alas I heard none. We camped in a nice stand of old forest and around first light I was awoken by a singing barred owl.

June 29th. George and I took a bike ride through Eastmoreland neighborhood. We stopped for a cookie break and heard a group of scolding robins. After a quick search we were able to find a harassed barred owl.

June 30th. Charlie and I returned to Eastmoreland to look for the barred owl. While poking around some brush between a mansion and a camp used by unhoused people we found a young barred owl.

July 10th. Andy Frank had alerted me to a barred owl that he had seen along Balch Creek in forest park. George and I hiked along the creek and soon found two noisy juvenile birds. We lingered for a while but could not see any attendant parents.

July 15th. We drove out to Skyline Elementary to look for the comet Neowise. While waiting for the sky to grow dark a great-horned owl sung to the North. Eventually I saw it briefly in a Doug fir.

July 17th. Charlie and I decided to head out to Balch creak to follow up on a family of barred owls that Andy Frank had been monitoring. Charlie had up until today never found an owl that he had gotten to show me. (He'd found a couple of owls at the exact same time as I did). Well today he found an adult and begging juvenile barred owl. I found a second juvenile. We were about to bushwack a little to track down a third when a volunteer ranger told us to stay on trail.

July 19th. The whole family and cousins went to the beach at Sauvie Island. We returned at dark, and while crossing the old dunes we flush a couple of great-horned owls from the sand. 

July 24th. I woke at 250am. I couldn't go back to sleep, and finally relented and left the house around 4am to walk around Oaks Bottom with Maile. Ah the fucking Covid life. I heard two screech owls, and was able to hack the light on my phone to spotlight one of the screech owls low in a maple.

July 25th. The whole family drove up to Tacoma to visit with Tui's mom and the kid's cousins. I took off around 5pm to Mt Rainier in search of Boreal owl. This is a hard species to find in the summer. Sunrise was super busy with people who were stargazing. In the evening I hiked down to Shadow Lake. I found a hooting sooty grouse in a stunted spruce tree.

Mount Rainier from the Shadow Lake trail

A couple of hikers told me about a bear that I had missed. I jogged back down the trail and found a beautiful black bear feeding at the lake side meadow. I repeated the same hike after dark, listening for Boreal owls, but heard none. I also tried the meadows near the entrance road to Sunrise, but again drew a blank. I did find a handsome fox that trotted across the road. On the way home, I did see a handsome barred owl flying in front of the car.

Aug 5th. Charlie and I walked to Reed College Parkway to a BLM memorial. We heard a singing screech owl, but could not find it with our crappy phone flash light. We returned the next day with a real flashlight, but didn't hear anything.

Aug 18th. I ventured out to the North end of Sauvie before dawn and found three great-horned owls along roadside power-lines. At the end of the road I could hear a pair of duetting great-horned owls from the tall cottonwoods on the Washington side of the Columbia.  

Aug 22nd. I woke early and drove out to the East side of Mount Tabor. Failing to find any owls in the tall conifers, I dove over to the West side of Powell Butte. Returning along the trail a male great-horned owl sang softly. After a couple of minutes of searching it was found perched sideways on a stout branch, high in a Doug fir.

Aug 23rd. George, Maile and I were camping in the dunes at Bayocean Spit. I'd drunk too much coffee and way lying awake in the tent. I got up around 1am to pee and heard a barn owl scream. I have camped here 50-100 nights over the last 19 years and this is the first time I have heard a barn owl.

Aug 30th. Charlie, my friend Mark and I were returning from a camping trip in Jefferson Park. Just before Ripplebrook Ranger Station we had a barred owl fly in front of the car late in the afternoon. I stopped and could hear scolding Stellar's Jays, but was unable to locate the owl. 

Sep 14th. In an effort to escape the choking smoke of the forest fires Charlie, Maile and I went camping along the Deschutes River near the Dalles. We were disappointed but undeterred by the smoky conditions we found at Deschutes. We hiked about 3 miles up to a riverside copse of walnut trees. Charlie was most excellent company. The next morning we disturbed two roosting barn owls and a great-horned owl from the thicket. The barn owls were exquisitely pale and delicate. The great-horned, pale and grayish, quite unlike the dark chocolate-colored birds I see in Portland.  

Sep 16th. Charlie and I took a evening walk in our neighborhood and we heard a pair of screech owls duetting near the overlook at Oaks Bottom. We were able to see both birds in silhouette as they sang.

Sep 19th. Charlie and I camping on the beach near the lighthouse at Sauvie Island. We didn't arrive until about 9pm, and were immediately greeted by the sound of barn owls screeching. I found one owl flying low over the sand, and a second, presumably juvenile bird screeching loudly from high in a cottonwood tree. 

Nov 21. I took Maile and the boys to Wapato on Sauvie. As we were leaving the parking lot I was explaining to the boys that if they could find an owl, they could win a prize. At that very moment I glanced up and saw a barred owl perched along the trail-side.

Nov 22nd. The boys and I walked around the East side of Oaks bottom. I found the screech owl in it's usual roost. Later we heard a big mob (murder) of angry crows. Charlie was first to spot the source of their ire, a beautiful barred owl, perched low in an Oak tree. We were able to show off our prized sighting to several people. 

Nov 26th. Thanksgiving Day. George and I walked around Oaks Bottom. We found the screech owl in the usual cavity in a broken ash tree.

Nov 27th. A beautiful sunny day. At lunch I returned to Oaks and was able to glimpse the screech owl, crammed into the usual cavity in the broken ash tree.

Nov 28th. George and I walked around Scappose airport. We saw at least 4 short-eared owls (there may have been several more). We also found a snow bunting. On the walk back we were lucky to glimpse a pale barn owl flying through some tall Doug Firs.

Dec 2nd. George and I took a night bike ride around Oak's Bottom. We heard a great-horned owl calling softly alongside the Willamette River.

Dec 4th. I saw a great-horned owl in the usual roost site at Whitaker Ponds.

Dec 5th. I took the boys out to Scappoose, where we found 2 or 3 short-eared owls hunting at dusk near the airport. 

Dec 7th George and I were doing a night bike ride through Tideman Johnson Park, when we heard a barn owl calling repeatedly. 

December 12th. I hiked through the Stark Street Cemetery, Laurelhurst Park and then up to tabor on a cold winter's afternoon. As it grew dark on Tabor I began to hear a pair of duetting great-horned owls. I tried for ages to glimpse them, but they remained hidden high in a stand of Doug firs. 

December 13th. I took a bike ride along the South West Waterfront. About a half mile south of OHSU's lower campus I heard a couple of scrub jays and a kinglet scolding. I hiked down the steep, bramble-covered river bank and flushed a small owl. The owl flew up into an impenetrable tangle of ivy and I was not able to relocate it. Raked in scratches and bleeding all over myself I left. At dusk I had walked back and planned to watch the owl as it emerged from it's hidden roost site. Sure enough the small owl emerged and I saw it briefly as it flew between branches of the cottonwood tree. Based on it's small size, especially that it appeared small in flight, I believe it was a saw-whet owl, but it's possible that it was (the larger) screech owl.

December 20th. I visited Fort Stevens State Park near Astoria in search of short-eared owls. At dusk a short-eared owl emerged from it's wet grassy roost and perched in a small snag. It surveyed the marsh for about twenty minutes before taking off just before dark. 

December 24th. It was a beautiful cool afternoon, so Maile and I took a walk to Oaks. We scrambled down the bluff and got to watch one screech owl emerge and eventually fly from it's roost in the broken ash tree. Nearby a second bird sang from a hidden perch. 

Dec 31st. George, Maile and I took a walk around Oak's Bottoms, where we found a screech owl roosting in the usual ash tree.


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