Q: I would really like to see a screech owl, but I never have. What’s the best way to locate one of these owls? A: These small owls are described as “common” but are notoriously challenging to spot ...

Q:My son and I are fascinated by owls and would really like to see more of them. What owls might we see in the metro area and where should we look for them? A: Two things clue us in that an owl is in ...

Eastern Screech Owls come in two phases: gray and red. Each has highly patterned feathers which give them fantastic camouflage. Last Sunday was the Chautauqua county Christmas Bird Count. At 8 in the ...

Q. Why are they called screech owls when the only sound I’ve ever heard them make are warbling noises that remind me of musical Morse code? A. I was able to answer this question a few years ago during ...

The sound was unmistakable and led me outdoors to face the thick woods across the road. In the advancing twilight the sound pierced the darkness again, and then again. The ghostly mournful wail, best ...

On the chilly morning of Dec. 5, Alex Patton headed into a coffee shop in Utica. On his way out, he glanced across the nearby stream and noticed the bird in the accompanying photo. Sharp-eyed Patton ...

It was a magical time in my backyard for two weeks this past summer. One August morning I walked out the back door just at dawn to meet a friend for a “beat the heat” walk, when suddenly two birds ...

Owls are more often heard than seen. In New York, there are eight species of these interesting raptors, with the majority most active at night. Some live here year-round, some are migratory. They ...

Hoot, hoot, hoot. Those might be some of the sounds you’ll hear on an upcoming Owl Prowl on Long Island. The owl prowls are an opportunity to learn about the nighttime creatures that live among us on ...

I think naps are wasted on the young. Not that children don't need them — they definitely do — but with age, sleep becomes more precious. A good night's sleep, taken for granted when I was younger, is ...

Q. Why are they called screech owls when the only sound I’ve ever heard them make are warbling noises that remind me of musical Morse code? A. I was able to answer this question a few years ago during ...