In a message dated 1/3/2005 9:33:18 AM Eastern Standard Time,  
 writes:

The  first was in the pine grove on the east side of Rt. 97 about .75 miles 
north  of the Howard/Montgomery line.  The pine grove is approvimately 9   
acres and all of the trees are quite tall [40-50 feet] with the only pine  
greenery near the tops.  At 4:30 AM a Saw-whet responded to my whistling  of the 
"toot" call .... this is the advertizing call on most tapes.... a long  series of 
"whet-whet-whet-whet-whet-....".  In the half-hour I was there,  a single bird 
responded five times, each time with the "scream" call followed  by a long 
period of silence.

The "scream" response by a Saw-whet is  quite un-owllike.  Think of the 
scream of an alley cat.  If anyone  has a web-site with this call, please post it. 


Jim,
 The first site you mention is well covered every year on the  Triadelphia 
CBC by Jay Sheppard, and this year he and Andy Martin found a single  bird there 
during daylight hours (probably the same bird you had) on Dec. 18.  You 
mention the ally-cat sound, which I think Clay Sutton mentions in his book  
Spotting Owls, but I have never heard. In fact I think it is a seldom heard  call, 
but then most folks look for their saw-whets during daylight hours, so  probably 
wouldn't hear it.
 
The second spot you mention is also well covered by Jay Sheppard during the  
Howard mid-winter count. I did the count with him a few years back and we 
spent  about a 3rd of the day looking through pine/conifer woods for owls. We 
searched  through that grove in vain during the day, finding only fresh pellets, 
but the  field was covered by vole trails. We returned at dusk, and found a 
Barn Owl  hunting over the field! Others went back and found the owl roosting in 
a nearby  silo (I think) the next day. 
 
Diurnal owl searching is one of my favorite winter activities, especially  if 
you hit pay dirt, as you did. Thanks for the post!
 
Rick Sussman
Ashton, MD
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