Northern Saw-whet Owl
“March through May is the “calling season” for Great-horned, Barred and Northern Saw-whet Owls.”
Through the year
Columns that mention it, by the month they were published.
Year by year
Columns that mention it each year.
In his words
All 8 passages, oldest first.
On the evening of the last day in January I was lucky enough to find two of Maine’s smallest owls, Northern Saw-whets, not far from where the Gull Crest trails meet the Spurwink river crossing boardwalk.
Lastly, on the night of January 22 along Bowery Beach Road I heard the repetitive whistle like toot and the harsher, rising screech of not one but two Northern Saw-whet owls.
As for my notes from the field and yard, on February 6 just after twilight, my wife, son and I were out walking when we heard a rather faint version of the too-too-too song from a Northern Saw-Whet Owl.
That said, on the evening of December 3 from somewhere within the depths of Crescent Beach State Park’s forest, three soft calls from a Northern Saw-whet Owl were heard followed closely by fleeting flashes from double shooting stars overhead.
Great-horned Owls are reported on the island from time to time and during fall migration southbound Northern Saw-Whet Owls very likely use the island as a stopover.
Thinking that it might be a Northern Saw-whet Owl I immediately gave my best twenty second too-too-too whistle call, the most typical call male Saw-whet’s give during the breeding season.
March through May is the “calling season” for Great-horned, Barred and Northern Saw-whet Owls.
Additionally, on the night of April 6 along Shore Road I heard the high pitched too-too-too call of a Northern Saw-whet Owl.