I made it out to Oatka Creek Park in Scottsville NY today. Many thanks to Jim Adams and his wonderful, "A Year in Oatka Creek Park" blog. I don't think anyone would have found the lifer I scored today if it were't for his efforts. I was also emailed detailed directions by two awesome birders named: Glen Marrer, and Kat Kirsch. The bird was not at the location these two had found it in earlier, but my friends and I spotted a few Tufted Titmouse, Black-capped Chickadees, and a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers. I was lucky enough to meet up with a guy named Jim who found the bird earlier in the week at a different roosting location. He and his girlfriend led my group to the normal stomping grounds of Owl after we had looked around at the previous location for a little while. Thanks for that whoever you were. What a fantastic and cooperative bird it turned out to be. My friends, John Sullivan, Cody Kamalii, and I spent about five minutes admiring this nocturnal beauty who was sitting just a few feet off the trail in a big ol' tree. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:
I also took a nice stroll through Reinstein Woods in Buffalo NY the day before (15JAN2014) and snapped a few pics of a Red-tailed Hawk that lives there. I spotted an additional SSHA, and 2 COHA while there.