[obol] Swimming Owl

[Alan Contreras]

I have never heard of this and I think it is a great story that should be
written up for Oregon Birds or Western Birds, especially if the owl and prey
can be identified.  Probably GHO, given the location and behavior, though
Barred is possible.

Of possible note in this context is a study done on Snowy Owls wintering
around vancouver BC, in which it was discovered that their main prey were
things like grebes and small ducks taken at night on water.  However, I'd
guess that these were grab-n-go attacks, rather than grapple-on-the-water
situations.

Is Fred related to the Farner who was an ornithologist, wrote Birds of
Crater Lake?

-- 
Alan Contreras
EUGENE, OREGON

acontrer at mindspring.com
OREGONREVIEW.BLOGSPOT.COM ­ Social Commentary
CONTRERASBIRDS.BLOGSPOT.COM ­ Current Bird Photos





> From: Craig Miller <gismiller at gmail.com>
> Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2007 19:11:55 -0700
> To: OBOL <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>
> Subject: [obol] Swimming Owl
> 
> Fred and Patti Farner sent me the following account of an owl
> experience, and asked if I had ever heard of this happening. I hadn't,
> but thought someone on the listserve might.
> 
> (Craig Miller, Bend, OR)
> 
> We just got back from a trip to East Bay Campground on Thompson Reservoir
> where we saw a very unusual sight.  Wednesday evening three of us were
> sitting around a campfire about seventy-five feet from the waters edge
> [the reservoir is down about ten feet].  Just as twilight was coming to an
> end, an owl came flying down and landed on a small rock about fifty feet
> in front of us, and about twenty-five feet from the water.  It proceeded
> to make some clicking and Œchirping¹ sounds.  To which a much smaller
> [younger?] owl responded and flew from the trees, down to the larger owl.
> Then a second owl about the size of the first owl, landed and the three
> proceeded to Œtalk¹ amongst themselves.  We could hear a fourth owl up in
> the tree line, calling occasionally.  While all this was going on, there
> was one duck type bird in the water, about twenty feet from shore, and
> nearly straight out from the rock the owls were on and/or near.
> 
> Both, what we took for parent, owls then took off, one flying into the
> tree line to our left, the other to our right.  The smaller [youngster]
> owl remained on its little, cantaloupe sized rock.
> 
> The two larger owls then began a coordinated attack on the water bird
> mentioned above.  One would swoop in from the left and hit the bird, then
> one from the right would do it.  These were silent strikes.  In all, three
> of these attacks were made.  Then the large owl on our right came in a
> more diving attack on the water bird, who, by this time was about
> seventy-five feet from shore.  This attack was accompanied by a loud
> ŒCHEEEE¹ scream, just before contact.  The owl hit the bird.  Both the owl
> and the target submerged briefly.  There was much commotion in the water
> as the attack was concluded.
> 
> We sat in wonder about the owl who was in the water, about seventy-five
> feet from shore!  Soon we saw one head above the water, that appeared to
> be swimming.  This was just too much for us to believe, so two of us, with
> flashlights, walked to near the waters edge.  The owl was, as my companion
> said, ²..Was doing the breast stroke.² To shore.  When the bird reached
> the shore, about ten feet from us, it dragged its kill, that was in its
> talons, up to dry ground and at our feet.  The owl then disengaged, and
> flew off.  About then the baby, who was now behind us, flew off also.  We
> were afraid we had disrupted the kill, so we retired to the campfire, and
> went to bed in about ten minutes.
> 
> The next morning we found four primary wing feathers attach together with
> a small patch of skin, and a number of individual feathers.  I retained
> the primary¹s and skin.
> 
> I wish to stress, the Œswimming¹ owl was methodically Œflying¹ with its
> wings, advancing about a foot with each wing beat.  The wings never left
> the water, and the bird was obviously in no distress during this
> evolution.
> 
> QUESTION:  Is this usual?  Has it been observed before?  We stopped at the
> Silver Lake Ranger Station and discussed the incident with them.  The
> ranger we talked with had now knowledge of actions like this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
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