Boreal Owl
Aegolius funereus

Boreal Owl represents a particular challenge to North American Birders: it is uncommon throughout its range; its favored high-elevation montane forest habitat is virtually inaccessible during late winter, when the species is vocal prior to the breeding season; and it is tiny, well-camouflaged, and quite sedentary during daylight hours. Given all the above, the discovery of a Boreal Owl in New York City's Central Park (well south of normal range in the east) in late December of 2004 was an extraordinary find. Even more remarkably, the bird lingered for several weeks, favoring a stand of spruces outside Tavern on the Green, a busy and popular restaurant within the park. At the time of the bird's discovery, I was spending the holidays in northern New Mexico (ironically, within the normal range of Boreal Owl), and had my fingers crossed that the bird would stick around until my return home. Thanks to the efforts of Lloyd Spitalnik, and other conscientious New York birders, who maintained a vigil near the bird, sharing telescope views and monitoring birders' behavior, the owl waited for me and hundreds of other lucky birders. I was only able to visit on one occasion, on my way to work and without a tripod; my timing was fortuitous, as within a week or so the bird had slipped into more remote areas of the park, and ultimately disappeared. The images below are mediocre at best (many more skilled birders and photographers captured fine pictures of this bird during its stay), but the Boreal Owl was sufficient rare that I feel it merits inclusion in these pages.

The winter of 2004-2005, by the by, was what birders refer to as an irruption year for northern owls; driven perhaps by diminished availability of prey on more customary wintering territory, huge numbers of owls such as Boreal, Great Gray, and Northern Hawk-Owl were driven south of normal range, delighting many observers, although probably to the detriment of the owls themselves. Another highlight of the season was the discovery of a Greay Gray Owl at Cape Vincent in extreme upstate New York. My father and I took the 700-mile round trip to find that bird in early March, rewarded for our efforts by distant but satisfying views.

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