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Observers: 3
Distance: 1.5 mi
Checklist Comments
We continued efforts to document the presence of juvenile Boreal Owls as evidence that the species breeds in the Uinta Mountains. This checklist documents the third family group that we've documented since July 11th. The location of this encounter is obscured. Clear skies, waxing gibbous moon (85% illuminated), no wind, approximately 70F.
We encountered a group of five juveniles. We did not see a parent while we observed this group nor did we hear one during our observation. This became the third distinct group of juvenile Boreal Owls that we've discovered and documented in recent weeks as we've set out to confirm that the species breeds in the Uinta Mountains. We could count five individuals by watching a couple of them while hearing three others beg from distinct locations. We made a unique observation when we had what appeared to be two siblings perched next to each other on a single branch. We could see from the plumage of the facial discs and undersides that a couple of the birds were more advanced in their molt than others. It appeared that one of the birds could easily look like an adult after another six to eight weeks of molting.
Details
We encountered a group of five juveniles. We did not see a parent while we observed this group nor did we hear one during our observation. This became the third distinct group of juvenile Boreal Owls that we've discovered and documented in recent weeks as we've set out to confirm that the species breeds in the Uinta Mountains. We could count five individuals by watching a couple of them while hearing three others beg from distinct locations. We made a unique observation when we had what appeared to be two siblings perched next to each other on a single branch. We could see from the plumage of the facial discs and undersides that a couple of the birds were more advanced in their molt than others. It appeared that one of the birds could easily look like an adult after another six to eight weeks of molting.