Recently I asked my friend Dave Bartkey if he could show me a Northern Saw-whet Owl in Rice Co. Dave has a remarkable ability to find owls, especially on Christmas Bird Counts. He replied that we could give it a try, but there were no guarantees. To make a long story short, we walked right by this saw-whet owl at the River Bend Nature Center in Faribault. On our way out, Dave spied our bird, apparently sound asleep in a isolated cedar.
Northern Saw-whet Owls have always been a favorite bird for me. When I began banding in Aberdeen, South Dakota, this owl was considered to be quite rare in the area. But every October I banded about a dozen of them in a residential backyard. I did not lure them in; they must have been abundant. I caught most of my birds just before dawn. Interestingly, I have tired unsuccessfully to band saw-whet owls since I moved to Northfield.
What I wouldn't give to see one!
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