Diary 5/20/13

The guys are getting the last of the poles for the rafters for the shop.  They are 34 feet long ones and not as easy to come by. While they were wandering about the forest looking for suitable candidates, they were joined by this guy(gal), a Spotted Owl.  This is the famous endangered species that stopped logging on federal lands(someone had to) and in other forest habitat special to their existence. This one was somewhat tame, maybe from some oldtime visits by biologists feeding them voles to watch their behavior and get a count of how many are in the area. Vole manure and decayed parts in owl poop have a special enzyme that rots Douglas Fir wood.  It is all a very unique cycle. Before the forest fire in 2002, there were 19 pairs in the range around us. This, I think is a female whose front feathers show a sign of separation where babies are being covered.  Her beak is bloody as either the guys served an easy meal when they were falling trees, or interrupted a feeding she was engaged in or maybe just peaked her curiosity.  Lunchtime came, and the owl got a break for the rest of the day, as it was time to peel the poles.