Two Owls in NYC

The middle of Manhattan would not be the first place to come to mind when you think of great places to see owls. However, Central Park this year has turned into a fantastic place for owls. The truth is that although it is a large park, there are relatively few conifers in the park, and since owls typically roost in them during the day, there are less possible places for them to be, making them easier to find.

This morning I ventured out hoping to find an owl I've never seen before--the Northern Saw-whet Owl. One had been reported numerous times in the park this year and had been hanging out in one particular area.

I explored the area where I knew the owl had been hanging out, finding only a pile of whitewash (old I think) where it had previously roosted. Feeling slightly bummed I walked away from that area, somewhat aimlessly, when I witnessed a bunch of birds gathering in a nearby pine tree. They were clearly agitated and as I watched, the birds came flying in from all directions. Several Blue Jays, probably fiive Tufted Titmouse, an Eastern Towhee, a White-Throated Sparrow, and two Cardinals all took turns in the general area of the same small tree. Two Squirrels added to the uproar.

Watching this activity I was pretty sure that there must be something in the tree, and since it was a small tree, the Saw-Whet seemed likely. After a few minutes of mobbing, the birds dispersed and I was left in silence, wondering if I could find whatever they had been so upset about. The area where the uproar took place was was fenced in (off limits for people), so I walked in about a 270 degree circle behind the fence, looking at the tree from various angles with my binoculars. Shortly, Thom Schuchaskie, a nature photographer joined me in trying to discover the presumed owl. After about 10 minutes of searching and searching I thought I could make out the rough shape of something roughly owl shaped in the most dense and hidden crook of the tree. Finally it moved just slightly and I was pretty sure that I got a glimpse of a Saw-Whet face.

After another 10 minutes of trying to find a good angle, walking away for a bit, and returning, I discovered the one angle where I had a view of the bird. Sure enough, it was a beautifuly little Saw-Whet Owl.
Here is a photo  of the bird in the pine tree. See if you can find him! He is really small!

 If you couldn't find him in the first photo, how about this zoomed in shot?

The owl continued to be occasionally visited by birds during the 90+ minutes I was there. But it moved very little, just opening and closing its eyes, and at times opening its beak wide and throwing its head back when it was mobbed by other birds.

Apparently, it is probably one of two Saw-whets in the area, since one rehabilitated bird had been released in the area the day before, and there previously was another one hanging out in the same area.

Thom came back to the area later and got this great photo of the bird, including a look at his yellow eyes (which I didn't get to see).

Before I left the park, Lisa and I also spotted a nice Barred Owl roosting in a conifer.  NYC is cool!