Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 09:17:54 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Denise Ryan Subject: Jays, Bats, BCN Herons, an Owl and Crows I took advantage of the beautiful weather yesterday to leave work early and check out the Black-Crowned Night Herons back at the National Zoo. I counted about 40 around the bird house/duck pond area at 6:00 p.m. The captive Fish Owl at the zoo engaged in a 5 min. "conversation" with me last night. I thought I would try my best, but meager, Barred Owl call on the owl to try to get a response. The owl did feel like conversing and answered my calls 2-1 last evening. It seemed like the owl enjoyed the company and would begin to answer my call before I could finish my brief phrase. He/she has a very low gruff resonant call. It is nice to know that at least another owl acknowledges that I am speaking a similar language. I took a walk along the border of the zoo heading south along the side streets to the East of Connecticut Ave. I saw one bat at 6:45 working the woods along that margin. 6:45 - 7:15 p.m. the Black Crowned Night Herons began their regular evening flights south following Rock Creek. I missed half the flock but watched at least 20 fly in singles and groups of 3s fly over the Duke Ellington Bridge (Calvert St.) and the Taft Bride (Connecticut Ave.). There are a pair of crows building a very impressive nest within close eyeshot of my apartment window near the Woodley Park Metro and I have heard a calling Blue Jay yesterday morning and this morning. Denise Ryan Washington, DC ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================