Hi all,
 My wife and I pulled into our driveway about 9:45 last night after a  trip 
to Columbia Mall. As I exited the car I heard a distinct  
hooo-hoo-hoo---hoo-hoo off in the distance, then again a moment later. I went in  and found my 
owl-caller (a plastic tube affair for calling horned owls,  purchased many years 
ago at ANS) and came back outside onto the deck. I returned  calls with the owl 
off and on for a while, went in, grabbed a shower and went  back out. It 
called a few more times shortly after 10 PM finally moving farther  off towards 
the woods. Great Horned Owl, yard bird number 57!
 
This morning I was out in the yard shortly after 6AM and am nearly certain  I 
heard a screech owl whinny 2-3 times. I went out to the corner of our lot  
where the sound seemed to be coming from. It sounded like it was right beyond  
the fence in some shrubby trees/tangles but after hearing it initially, it did  
not call anymore. I will try calling this bird in tonight before I confirm it 
to  my list, but it is thrilling to think that I might have 2 owl species 
right in  my own (new) backyard. It took me many years to get Barred and Great 
Horned owls  in Ashton, but I never did get a screech, though the habitat was 
perfect.
 
Otherwise the yard was eerily quiet this morning, though the feeders are  
still very active.
 
Happy birding everyone,

Rick Sussman
Woodbine,MD




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