Don,
I'll admit I didn't seriously consider Screech Owl because I think of
them as producing only soft, pleasant whistles. But there are some
recordings online that definitely are "screech-y," so you may well be
right (assuming the owl would repeat the same cry over and over). That
would also explain why I couldn't see the bird when I was right next to
the tree from which the sound was emanating -- it would fit easily into
the medium-sized hole in the trunk. Thank you for your input!
-Janet
On 5/28/2013 3:58 PM, <simonson...> wrote:
> Janet, i have heard and seen young Eastern Screech Owls making a sound
> like you describe, at Cape May and in Md.
> On 05/28/13, Janet Millenson<janet...> wrote:
> Well, the general consensus seems to be that an immature owl of some
> sort is the likeliest source of the sound. And it's true that this
> spring an adult Barred Owl has hooted nearby a couple of times. The
> various owl sounds available online, however, are close but not quite
> the same as what we heard. I'm keeping an open mind and (sort of)
> hoping our nocturnal noise-maker returns so we have another chance to
> identify it!
>
> Thanks to everyone who responded.
>
> -Janet
>
>>
>> On Mon, May 27, 2013 at 11:09 AM, Janet Millenson <janet...>
>> <mailto:<janet...>> wrote:
>>
>> We were all kept awake last night by something calling loudly
>> from a tree near the house. Any help in identifying it would be
>> much appreciated.
>>
>> The sound was a cross between the nasal blare of a jay and the
>> mew of a cat, in a single one-second blast followed by a long
>> pause. There was no chittering or chattering to it, just a solid
>> whiny scream. It continued off and on for much of the night and
>> well into the morning. When I finally went outside to find the
>> source of the @#$!&* racket, I was shocked by how loud it was,
>> and wondered if maybe our new neighbors had bought a peacock. The
>> noise might have been echoing from inside a tree cavity, because
>> there were no mammals or large birds visible among the branches.
>>
>> We're pretty familiar with the varied sounds of the squirrels,
>> raccoons, and foxes in our yard, plus of course the usual birds,
>> and this was totally different. I'm presuming it was a young
>> creature of some sort, but am otherwise clueless. After listening
>> to various recordings of bird and mammal sounds, my family agrees
>> that (so far) peacock calls come the closest. More realistic
>> suggestions are welcome!
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>>
>> Janet Millenson
>> Potomac, MD (Montgomery County)
>> <janet...> <mailto:<janet...>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------
>> "Look at the birds!" -- Pascal the parrot
>> --
>> -
>>
>
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