Forest Bathing and a Pair of Flammulated Owls

Cherry Lake

Last week I was supposed to be backpacking in Yosemite but a minor foot injury prevented my participation. I did however, help out with the transportation for the crew going to the mountains so I found myself with an opportunity to explore the region between Yosemite National Park and the Sonora area along Hwy 108. After dropping the intrepid hikers off in Tuolumne Meadows I continued west on Hwy 120 until just after leaving the park took the Evergreen Rd. to Camp Mather just below Hetch Hetchy. From here a road runs west to intersect with Cherry Lake Rd and my access to the Cherry Lake area. The main reason for camping in this area was a place called Jawbone Pass, an intersection of forest roads where over the years there have been reports of Flammulated Owls. 

Flammulated Owl (from All About Birds)

These small owls are highly nocturnal, staying in cavities or high in the trees deep in the foliage during the day and foraging in the woods at night. Thus, they are extremely difficult to see but not so difficult to hear. My plan was to camp at the pass and listen for them in the night and maybe if they were close enough, actually see one.

Jawbone Pass

It was late in the evening when I arrived at the pass, I got something to eat and did a bit of a walk-around spotting Golden-crowned Kinglets, Juncos, Hairy Woodpecker, and a stunningly bright Western Tanager. Then I set up my chair in the middle of the clearing, draped a mosquito net over me and listened for about an hour as it got dark. It was really quite something just sitting there taking in all the sounds of the forest around me. I heard many interesting things but no owls. But the night is long and I would awaken several times in the night (oh the joys of growing older) and be able to listen for them again. Sure enough, at about 2 am. I began to hear a distant pair of Flams calling back and forth. They were not anywhere close to me and may have been as far away as 1/4 mile. They are known to be very good ventriloquists and can project their sound over a fair distance thus making them even more difficult to find. So I was content with just hearing them and I could add a new species to my list and hope that some day in the future I will actually be able to see one.