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Posted by James M. Stanton on 18:09:26 06/15/09
I believe I have a Long Eared owl in my neighborhood here in Miami, FL (cutler bay). It has all of the characteristics described in literature I read... tufted ears, brown w/ white flecks, 10" to 18" tall. I read that this owl is endangered. The article also says that only 2 of this species have been seen in South Florida.
This morning I sat w/ wife on the balcony of my house. I noticed that the mocking birds were making agitated noise over a tall Royal Palm. The mocking birds were not making their typical varied "song-bird" replications. I didn't see anything in the early morning (6:00 AM) until later (10:00 AM) when I saw two crows dive-Bombing a larger bird perched on one of the palm-fawns of the Royal Palm. I took out my binoculars and saw this large owl. Later, I looked it up on the internet and believe it to be a "Long-Eared Owl." I took pictures (2.3 pixels) but they came out too distant and fuzzy to see much detail. My wife took pictures on her 6.0 pixel digital camera but we haven't yet viewed them (Minor tech difficulty). I believe these photos will provide the added detail needed to identify the species.
Does anybody think this is an important sighting?
The owl continues to sit in the same place as it has done all day. It did leave its perch for an hour or so but otherwise it has remained on the same palm limb.
Any feedback would be appreciated on if I should bother, and, if so, where I can report this sighting.
Jim Stanton
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