[obol] Wheeler Barred Owls

[Joel Geier]

Hi folks,

I responded directly to Chuck's question but maybe others are
interested. Barred Owls were found by USFS staff last year or the year
before, in a creek drainage just west of Barnhouse Springs, on the north
slope of the Ochocos, in southern Wheeler Co.  That was the first record
that I am aware of from the county.

There is a strip of similar mixed-conifer habitat all along the north
slope of the Ochocos from there to the Ochoco Divide Research Natural
Area (for those who joined the Painted Hills field trip, that's the
natural area just west of Wildwood Campground). Most of that strip is
difficult to access for owling since there are not many public roads,
most of those are in rough shape, and the Bridge Creek Wilderness runs
down through the middle. So I'd guess that there could well be Barred
Owls all through that area by now. 

Too bad for any Great Gray Owls that were still hanging in there, I
guess. Wheeler Co. still has a chance to go down as the only Oregon
county *not* to record Eurasian Collared-Dove, if they hurry up and
merge with Gilliam Co. before those invaders show up.

Happy birding,
Joel

--
Joel Geier
Camp Adair area north of Corvallis