Millcreek Pygmy Owls and Poorwill's

[Tim Avery <tanager at timaverybirding dot com>]

After last nights escapade in American Fork several of my friends from Salt Lake
were up for a hike to see an Owl.  I decided Millcreek Canyon would be the best
shot and I followed the directions that Pomera had posted up the Bowman Fork
Trail.  We left the car at around 6:20pm and surprisingly were at the
drain/water thingy by 6:45pm, and sure enough Steve Sommerfelds "pymgy owl"
inscription was still there.  For about an hour we moved along the creek upto
the 5th crossing and I had no responses to my call.  Although there were plenty
of Mac's Warblers, RB Nuthatch, and both Chickadee species.  Also seen or heard
were:
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Western Wood-Pewee
Northern Flicker
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Stellar's Jay
Warbling Vireo
and a Dusky Flycatcher.

Back to the hike:

I got a little ahead of the group and was alone at the 5th crossing
when I thought I heard a to-to-to-to-to-to call off in the distance.  I waited
for the rest of my gorup to arrive before heading up the trail another 75
yards.  It was now about 8:10 and I was beginning to doubt we would get our
Owl.  Then one of the guys froze and said he heard something, and thought it
might be a moose.  We walked off into the woods and I told them I would try
something.  I did an Elk Bugle and sure enough had a response from the open
hillside, about 50 yards away.  Although we didn't get to see the Elk it was
probably a spike.  We started to walk when I heard a low call, one of the guys
pointed and I told them that was it.  I began calling and it immediately picked
up and called back.  WE attempted to get closer but this bird was a good 100
yards off trail into some thick nasty stuff.  We listened for a little and
started to head back when out of the blue we heard anohter Pygmy start calling
about 50 yards up trail.  Slowly we made our way up to a large Pine tree, and
the lil guy kept callign from the top the entire time.  This time the bird was
well over 75 or 80 feet high, and although I scanned couldn't pick it out.
Finally we must have spooked it and all got a nice look as the tiny thing flew
to another tree on the oppostie side of the trail.  We decided to leave it be
and head back, it was around 8:55 and wanted to get back before 10.

About half way back to the car it was basically pitch black on the trail and the
flashlight was the only light around.  Suddenly about 15 feet ahead of me
something fluttered up off the trail and scared teh bejezers out of us.  My
first thought was a bat, but the creature quickly landed and the flashlight
caught the bright red eye reflection, typical of Poorwill's.  WE tried to get
our cameras on it, but the flashlight wasn't doing the trick.  I managed to get
one sad looking shot, which can be viewed at:

http://tanager.smugmug.com/gallery/194776

I must say I enjoy taking my friends out to see a little piece of what I enjoy,
although they will never really get into the hobby, the looks on their faces
when they see an Owl fly or the Poorwill fluttering about on the trail are
priceless, and memories I won't forget.

Good Birding

Tim

p.s. Thanks for the directions and marking the spot, Pomera, Steve and aeveryone
else involved.

Salt Lake City, UT or Beloit, WI
http://www.timaverybirding.com

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