Jim Stasz wrote:

>Northern Saw-whet Owls are notorious for not really caring about 
>humans.  As long as you do not poke them or shake the tree, they are 
>content to sit.
>

MANY, many years ago I was on a short walk at Irvine Nature Center in 
Stevenson, Balto. county, up to the banding station that Jim was running at 
the time. A group of us walked right up to the area around a lone tree 
where a Saw-whet was roosting. If Jim had not pointed it out, we would all 
have just walked right by. And it was still sitting there some time later 
when we walked back past the tree.

P.S. I then had the great fortune to band with Barbara Ross at that same 
station for about 15 or more years. Sadly, that part of St. Timothy's 
school was sold to a developer and now that tree that stood for so long is 
probably not even there any more.


Sharon Schwemmer
Hampstead,MD