From: D.Parker
Date: 6/12/01
Time: 3:14:35 PM
Remote Name: 209.221.198.132
The Cal.spotted owls on the westside of Sierra Nevada, prefer shady old growth forests of oak or conifers with some water present. I was lucky enough, while visiting my parents cabin, to come across a juvenile on the rim of Tuolumne river canyon in an old growth forest near a spring many years ago. It followed me down the trail until and adult owl came and barked at it with gusto, presumably telling it to get away from danger (me!). But at the same time, these birds were gregarious as they would often fly to the trees over parents cabin in the oaks and "barked" continuosly, not showing much fear. This spring we saw a Mexican spotted owl in Arizona in a well-known nesting area and once again the owl was in a shady canyon, thick with trees and creek. Spotted owls do sound like barking dogs to me but there are only a few records that I know of on the eastside and those are in Mono County in the forest. Marge,I recommend trying to see this bird if possible. The two common owls found in Bishop area are barn and great horned. Long-eared are around too, but not as common.