Hi all,Allen Larner and I headed up to Shenandoah National Park this evening to
try for Northern Saw-whet Owls in areas where they've been heard during the
previous two winters. Our first stop was at Beagle Gap (small parking lot on
the east side of the road at Mile 99.5 along Skyline Drive, not to be confused
with Beagle Gap Overlook just south of there). We were successful in locating
a Saw-whet for the third consecutive winter at Beagle Gap. The bird gave the
alarm call repeatedly in response to playback. We heard it from along the
Appalachian Trail (northbound) where the trail enters the forest at the
backside of the field on the east side of Skyline Drive. It was calling from
within Augusta County, to the northwest of the trail. IMPORTANT NOTE for
anyone that tries for this bird: playback is strictly prohibited within
Shenandoah National Park. The boundary of the park runs through the field
you'll walk to get to the forested edge where we heard this bird from. Once
you are halfway through the field you are no longer on park property. If you
choose to sparingly use playback like we did, please make sure you are more
than halfway through the field from the parking lot to the forest edge!
We also tried for N. Saw-whet Owls farther north in the park along the
Appalachian Trail near Sawmill Run Overlook in Albemarle County but were
unsuccessful. This location is well within the park and playback is strictly
prohibited. Saw-whets have been heard in this location the previous two
winters responding to non-electronic imitations (which are allowed within the
park), however, we had no luck with that there tonight.
On our drive out of the park we saw a Barred Owl in a tree roadside near Beagle
Gap. If anyone has any questions about the Saw-whet please feel free to ask
me. Good Birding,Gabriel MapelNew Hope
