They're back!  Yesterday AM we had a flock of 12 Evening Grosbeaks at our feeders. (a bit of competition from 8-10 Blue Jays).

Wayne Cripps and I went back  to the Berlin airport to look for the Snowy Owl(s).  Kathy, Kevin and Justin Hybels joined us. No sign of the Owls or any other birds except crows. One person told us Snowys are being chased away from the runways (by whom??) and might be in nearby fields. We all went on to the Northern Hawk Owl  spot (rt. 100/Gregg rd. in Waterbury Center Vt.). At first no views. Then Kathy, with her "eagle eye" spotted the Owl a good distance away on the other side of the road. As we walked up to the road it flew towards us and landed in a Poplar tree just across the road. Great high views. There must have be 15-20 people there!  Police actually showed up.  Owl flew off . Red-tailed Hawk showed up, circling, and Hawk Owl suddenly appeared streaking fast off across the road (high up), and hid somewhere in the further pines, presumably. Now, can a Red-tail take a Hawk Owl??? Worried!!

Photos of Hawk Owl flight, landing, sleepy, and preen here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33836164@N03/sets/72157639923956496/

Cynthia Crawford

Creature Kinships and Natural Affinities
Animal and Nature Paintings, Portraits and Prints
www.creaturekinships.com
Photos: http://pbase.com/creaturekinships
BLOG: http://creature-kinships.blogspot.com/
**************************************************************** To post messages, send e-mail to: [log in to unmask] Set your e-mail application to PLAIN TEXT ONLY to post messages. To contact the list owner: [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------- Web based archives and subscription management are available at: http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/Archives/uv-birders.html ****************************************************************