Another beautiful, but owl-less day on Quadra Island.  While Carla checked her street, I checked the other “hotspot” and a few other select locations. At one place, there was a starling doing amazing imitations of a Common Nighthawk.  Given the “needle in a haystack” twist this has taken, I decided that I’d devote a couple of hours at dawn and dusk to the owl search, but that I’d also do some other birding as well–cell service or no.

It was clear early on that the owl was not hunting in either of its most visible sites.  It seems to have a route, but not a set schedule.  I don’t think it will be back at Carla’s until it’s shown up at the other site.  No telling when that will be though.

There were still some streets around Heriot Bay that I hadn’t checked out, so I went on a little tour. I had found a patch using Google maps that I wanted to explore.  It looked like a logged or potentially boggy area not too far from the places the owl had been seen. If I was a Great Gray, this is where I’d hang out.

Of course, if you look closely, there are several other great spots for a Great Gray here, there, and everywhere.  Buker Road took me to within a stone’s throw of my target spot, but there were no trails.  Everything was private property.  It wasn’t especially birdy, but I was surprised to hear a Gray Jay in with a couple of Steller’s on one of the hilltops.  The view was spectacular, which is pretty normal around here.  The photo below is Rebecca Spit.

 

 

Before you call your real estate agent, be forewarned.  Apparently this neighbourhood has alligators. 🙂

It was also obvious that there was a pretty good cone crop here this year, although  most of these look pretty much open.

 

I made a short stop at Heriot Bay to file an eBird checklist, and then dropped by the Java Cafe for a warm beverage.  It was beautiful, but chilly out!  I talked with the women there about the Great Gray, which neither had seen, but one had been awakened by an owl this morning.  By her description, it sounded like a Western Screech.  I played the call for her, and she confirmed it.  Hmmmm…. maybe an owl survey is in order!

Still thinking about that tantalizing location, I remembered seeing a trail into a woodlot off West Road.  I headed there and spent two hours following a number of trails, turning up Virginia Rails and something that sounded remarkably like a Black-capped Chickadee (way across the field–unreachable).  Again, not too many birds, but I did find some interesting things in the woods.

Someone, some time ago had figured out how to use rocks and chains as a weight to keep a gate open or closed.  I’m glad I didn’t have to lift these up onto the gate.

 

I came across a slime mold, on of my favourite things.  For the uninitiated, this is technically a plant, but it moves around.  I had one in my garden once, and I’d go out every day to see where it had gone. It streams kind of like an amoeba and can go a surprising distance in a relatively short time. Most of the ones I have seen around here are yellow.  I don’t know what kind this is.
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This blog post by Jocie Ingram provides a lot more information on them, and even has a picture of one that I believe is the same as this one.

Spring is springing up all over the place, leaving remains of last years leaves as mere skeletons of their former selves.

After a stop for lunch, I went to April Point.  This lodge, like many others on the island, is closed for the winter.  No people, but lots of beauty.  The seabird numbers are low. I hear there is an early herring spawn near Denman Island, so that may explain the dearth of seabirds here right now.  Looking off the main deck of the resort I was thinking about sea otters–until I saw this:

Thousands of green sea urchins blanketing the harbour floor.  In this picture, you can also see a red and purple urchin, and there were several bat seastars in the area as well.  There can be no sea otters with this many urchins around!

Although there weren’t many birds, there was a show for voyeurs.  A Common Merganser pair were definitely enjoying the weather and the location.  She made her best “come hither” moves by lying flat in the water, head extended and tail lifted “just so”.  She swam in this posture for at least five minutes without raising her head.  He swam close by, occasionally lifting his head straight up, indicating that he was paying attention.  He made a couple of pretty lame attempts to mount her, but maybe that’s why they are starting early.  Perhaps success takes some practice and patience. Hmmmm……

Before I left, I noticed another interesting sign.  Apparently the lodge is trying to discourage smoking fish.

I went back to one of the owl’s hunting sites for a couple of hours at the end of the day, then cruised the streets of Quadra Island looking for an own swinging on the power lines. When an owl extends its habitat to power lines, it truly could be absolutely anywhere!  The guys at the hostel think I’m a bit crazy.  Maybe they’re right.

I am still here.  The owl is probably still here.  Let’s hope we meet up soon!