Rfalconcam Forum

I decided this past Sunday would be the perfect evening for an owl prowl.  Before leaving the city I stopped to look for the South Side falcons.  I found both falcons on the same window ledge at the top floor of the building on the south side of the east wing.  A successful short watch, hopefully this was the prelude to a great owl prowl.

I arrived at the location south of Rochester about 4:45 p.m.  The sun was shining bright and I started to look for birds.  Usually one can see numerous Northern Harriers in the area during the daylight hours and the Short Eared Owls come out at dusk.  I drove around the country block once and ran into a birdwatching group that was watching Snowing Buntings and Horned Larks.  On my way back around the block I had a Red Tail Hawk fly just over my car.  So far that was the highlight of the watch.

I caught back up with the birdwatching group and one person thought they saw an owl fly into the tall grass.  We all watched for a few minutes when suddenly a Harrier appeared just above the tall grass.  Well it wasn't an owl, but at least it was a Harrier.  I proceeded to drive around the block again. 

I came back to the road where the Short Eared Owls are typically seen, and was at the top of a hill when I saw two objects flying in front of me just as dusk had arrived.  I stopped the car and sure enough they were OWLS!!!  :2thumbsup:

I looked to my left and there were five owls landing and flying around a tree in the middle of the field.  I watch these five owls and until they flew away.  There were owls to my left and owls to my right.  They were all around me.  I was in heaven for this 10-15 minute show. :angel:

My first owl prowl in a long time and it was awesome.

Lisa McK

(http://s18.rimg.info/e36fed542d2d5b1b9559f0928ad31deb.gif) (http://smiles.int-world.com/smile.153421.html)(http://s18.rimg.info/0aa19057c10c6fb3f47324b799dd0603.gif) (http://smiles.int-world.com/smile.153434.html)

very nice Lisa....thanks. What are the South side Falcons?

Thanks Lisa!  Wonderful account of the "owl surround"   :happy:

The South Side falcons are the pair seen at the old "looney bin". :crazy:

The building in not 100% secure so I don't want to reveal its location on a public board.  We saw falcons there last year, remember..... Beauty was there before she went downtown. 
:stupid:  Get the hints!!   ;)

I got it!  :blonde: There's hope for me! 

That's great that you saw the owls!  I went on a combination Sandhill Crane/Short-Eared Owl trip last winter and we also had great looks at the owls flying low over the cornfields.

How do you know where to look for owls. We have them here (I can hear them) but have never seen them.

Short Eared Owls regularly spend their winter months in the fields south of Rochester.  I have been watching them for over 5 years, when I went on a field trip to see them.  Now I do my own field trips.