Screech-Owls have a 'toot' call that can be confused with Saw-whet (or vice versa). It has been a long time since I have heard a Saw-whet so can't give any hints on separating from the screech-owl. Cheers, Kathy Klimkiewicz Laurel, MD "Wilkerson, Jordan T." To: "'MDOsprey'" <Jordan.Wilkerson@j <MDOsprey@ARI.Net> huapl.edu> cc: Sent by: Subject: [MDOsprey] FW: owner-mdosprey@ARI. saw-whets Assateague Net 12/06/99 11:34 AM Please respond to mdosprey MDOsprey, The "Owls" were tooting (unexpected in the winter?) One was tooting incessantly, but the other seemed to be a few notes occasionally. We debated whether the tooting was someone calling or a real owl. I have never seen a Saw-Whet except in captivity, so we, of course, were anxious to say it was real. I have read that Saw-Whets don't usually toot in the winter, so it was unexpected except that it was an exceptionally warm weekend in December, and we also heard the woodcocks calling. Any more specifics on Dave Brinker's whereabouts on the night in question (December 4th 1999)? Thanks for the information. Jordan, Cloverly, MD ---------- From: J.B. Churchill [SMTP:jbc@caf.wvu.edu] <mailto:[SMTP:jbc@caf.wvu.edu]> Sent: Monday, December 06, 1999 11:24 AM To: Jordan.Wilkerson@jhuapl.edu <mailto:Jordan.Wilkerson@jhuapl.edu> You wrote: > MDOsprey, >12/4 >Woodcocks displaying by the ranger station at sunset. At least 2 >participating in the peent calls as well as the wing-whir flight display. >We flushed a third nearby. >Heard Saw-whets calling > Were the Saw-whets calling or tooting ???. Just be aware that Dave Brinker is still banding owls up there so tooting owls heard at this time of the year are likely to be audiolures. There is one set up near the State Park, one near the end of the Blacktop and the National Park and 2 lures south of the Blacktop. ====================================================== ___ _________/ \_________ Home (304) 292-5072 /- - - - - O O - - - - -\ Work (304) 293-4832 \________'\_v_/`________/ ext. 4456 /_|_|_\ ^ ^ John B. Churchill, M.S. GIS Analyst West Virginia University Natural Resources Analysis Center __ ______ \___/ \__^_ [ ) o\ `__]____)'--'* ]_ ]_ Support Evolution, ... destroy a weakling ! http://www.nrac.wvu.edu/users/jbc/ <http://www.nrac.wvu.edu/users/jbc/> ======================================================