12 Long Years for Long-eared (Flashback)

Flashback winter 2014 Tucson Bird Count.

Long-Eared Owl (photos property of Paul Suchanek)

The birds were active this Sunday morning after a light rain the day before.  Any rain is good rain in the desert, where conservation is survival, at least for the plants and wildlife.  Paul Suchanek joined me for a day of counting birds for the Tucson Bird Count, a citizen science project now run by the Tucson Audubon Society.   Our first stop was the big lake, where Paul rattled off 23 species in the five minute time period as I stood and scribbled names and numbers.  Even for this diverse water habitat 23 species is one of the highest counts.   

Our next count area was the nearby mesquite bosque.   This would be ten minute count in which we would walk through the mesquites and count birds seen and heard.   As we waited to start the clock I mentioned to Paul that there was one bird which had eluded me in this transect in the twelve years I'd been surveying this "park."   It was the mysterious Long-eared Owl.  In fact, I created this transect with this bird in mind, since I had seen it in years past in these very mesquites.  That was twelve years ago.   Over the years it would be seen off and on sporadically, sometimes skipping a year, but never during a survey.   I would call it a nemesis, but our relationship was not of hunter and prey, or as competitors.  Our meetings were a gift to behold whenever seen, and part of the uniqueness was its unpredictability.   It was always a pleasant, unexpected surprise.

Our walk was rewarding as a Ruby-crowned Kinglet called, and 3 Western Bluebirds flew overhead.   An Ash-throated Flycatcher, rare in winter, called out with a pop-like call note.  We had some interesting birds for this section.   I calmed my usual anticipation as we neared the area where the owl had been seen in past years.  I knew its various perches, but this time wanted to clear my mind of expectations.  "You need to look with fresh eyes," I thought, "As if it's your first time here."   

Long-Eared Owl (photos property of Paul Suchanek)

With this in mind I scanned the vegetation to the right of the trail, where it had never been seen.   My eyes came upon a vine tangle, yet it looked too solid.  I brought my bins excitedly to my eyes, then turned to Paul with an excited whisper "It's here!"   We marveled at how camouflaged it appeared, hiding in plain sight.  This owl has a way of stretching its body upward until it looks just like a broken branch pointing upward.  After finishing the transect we came back over to its location on our way to our next point count.   As we slipped by the branches seemed to open up, and we were treated to an unobstructed view of this wonderfully rare friend.  

Long-Eared Owl (photos property of Paul Suchanek)

This long sought addition to our park count list of birds would also be a first for the Tucson Bird Count!  I was so happy to finally experience the awe of this bird's presence during the TBC.   What are some of your special wildlife experiences?   Thank you for appreciating this incredibly diverse planet of uniquely different, yet similar living beings.  

Tips on separating Long-eared Owl from the sometimes similar Great Horned Owl.   The Long-eared Owl had a cross-hatched pattern chest pattern, dark vertical lines going through the eyes, a slimmer build with longer tail (when in camouflaged posture here), long ear tuffs which are set closer together than on Great Horned.  The Great Horned Owl also has a white bib on the throat.   Sometimes the Great Horned can have dark cross hatching on the chest.   The dark line extending vertically through the eye will be your best field mark when in doubt.  

Good Birding!