One of the things I was hoping to accomplish with the OwlCam in 2017 was a final determination of which owl it is who constantly shortens his/her hoot. I’ve been guessing it’s Ecks for years for… reasons I can’t quite remember now. I think because I tend to hear the abbreviated gurgle-hoot from outside the yard, and the “HOOAW!” is usually Henrietta sitting in the nest-tree.
So anyway, here’s yesterday’s puzzle. The calm way in which this bird regarded me when I spoke to it would indicate that it’s Henrietta, and I think the forehead marking does too. But a bird down the hill said “Hooaw,” and this bird did the gurgle-half-hoot, as you can hear:
So, note to self. Maybe I’ve been attributing this hoot to the wrong bird. Maybe they both do it when they’re feeling lazy?
Either way: Hi there, stupid bird.
