Owl Update

They're coming... Our first night doing Northern Saw-Whet Owl research was a success!  The migration from Canada to PA is under way and the numbers will keep increasing until end of November.  It was a thrill to hold one and look into it's eyes.  We did some measurements, feather charting, weighed it, made note of it's eye color and fat content.  Overall, a healthy bird and was so well-behaved!  It is a wonderful feeling to be in the dark woods late at night with the bright stars overhead... even more exciting to be able to meet the owls that are starting to inhabit these woods. The end of the night was a bit spooky when the echo of a pack of coyote calls cackled through the woods not far from where we were.  It sounded like kids laughing.  Very eerie.  Stay tuned for more owl updates coming soon...       .ryn      

 photo credit: ryn

First owl of the season.  What a beauty!

Color chart to gauge owl eye color

Mugshot