George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary – Page 32

Great Gray Owl

While there was the odd sprinkle this morning, the rain held off for the most part today. I headed out to Reifel earlier than normal to help out as a Great Gray Owl had been sited there yesterday afternoon. This is the sanctuaries first record for this type of owl. When I arrived it had been spotted first thing, but had flown off over the sanctuary and not relocated. The area it has been frequenting to hunt is not open to the public, but staff have been taking groups in to view the bird.

It was a fairly busy Sunday with a decent number of visitors, so I spent time on the trails showing some the Great Horned and Northern Saw-whet Owls along the east dyke trail. Later in the afternoon I was notified that the Great Gray Owl had returned. It has been several years since I last saw and photographed one.

While it was quite some distance off across the field, it did provide good views to the many that had shown up to see it.

Swamp & Harris’s Sparrows

Despite being an overcast and drizzly day I made my way out to Reifel this afternoon. While no longer a nemesis bird, I would still like to get some pictures of the Swamp Sparrow again this year. It did not take too long after arriving in the tower area to get my first fleeting glimpse, but then nothing. I thought to myself again that would probably be it,

… but some time later one of the Swamp Sparrows popped up.

It was feeding on the seeds atop the tall grass.

It was some distance away and the light was poor, but it was good to finally get some good looks and pictures of it for this winter. Bonus bird of the day,

… was the Harris’s Sparrow on the way out with the last of the light.

Northern Saw-whet Owl

The parking lot was no where near being full when I showed up to help out at Reifel this afternoon. Not too surprising given it was a fairly gloomy and damp day. The Harris’s and Swamp Sparrows continue as well as the Bohemian Waxwings. The highlight for most visitors today,

… were the Northern Saw-whet Owls. There were three along the east dyke, two on the north dyke and four elsewhere for a total of nine today. This one being the most photogenic even with his head tucked in while snoozing away the afternoon.