Give a hoot!

On my last adventure as a volunteer land steward for the Nisqually Land Trust, I didn't make it very far into the woods. I got to the fence that marks the boundary of the Land Trust property and managed to get my backpack and camera to the other side. I was about to go through the fence myself when a rumble of thunder told me maybe being in the woods wasn't the best idea. I retrieved my gear and headed back out.

On the way, I heard a bunch crows cawing in the tree, and decided to have a look since there might be an owl nearby. I stepped of the trail in the direction of the cawing and sure enough, an owl swooped low then climbed back up into the canopy, followed by a handful of noisy crows.

How did I know to expect an owl? Being a student of nature, I learned a lot of things from textbooks and formal education. I also learned a lot from observation. Then there are a few things I garnered from sources unknown. One of those mystery sources taught me that a bunch of noisy crows in a tree are probably trying to chase a hawk or an owl away.

That noisy scene prompted me to investigate the old Van Eaton barn located right next to where the trail enters the woods. I've gone in there before in search of owl pellets or any other signs that owls hang out there, since it looks like prime owl shelter, Previous searches came up empty, but on this occasion I found my very first owl pellet and a scattering of barred owl feathers.

I always leave what I find where I find it. The bones in the owl pellet will be an important source of calcium for little critters like mice, which may in turn end up in another owl pellet in the future. To learn more about owls, a great place to start is the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology.