[Tweeters] White owl!!!!

[Shelf Life Community Story Project via Tweeters]

Years ago, in Tucson, my dad called to tell me he had spotted a Great
Horned Owl. He was very excited. The more he described it the more I
suspected it might be a plastic decoy to discourage rodents. I finally
asked him if he had seen it move at all. There was a long silence followed
by a deflated "oh no," as he realized it was in fact, a fake owl. He never
lived it down.
Jill
Seattle

On Fri, Jul 10, 2026, 5:28 PM Alan Roedell via Tweeters <
tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:


> No worries,  we've all had similar experiences , wishful thinking,

> usually.

> Carry on please.  I love your posts.

> Alan Roedell, Seattle

>

> On Fri, Jul 10, 2026, 8:57 AM Odette James via Tweeters <

> tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:

>

>> This morning I'm embarrassed. The white "owl" has unfluffed its feathers

>> and flown down to the ground, and it's not an owl but a domestic pigeon!

>> With its feathers fluffed up last night it had a really large head, and I

>> didn't want to get too close to it to disturb it, so I screwed up my ID.

>> But if anybody knows who has a missing white pigeon, it's here. Still an

>> unusual bird, but not quite so unusual. Rats. Now nobody will ever believe

>> any posts I put on Tweeters. Sorry.

>>

>> Odette James

>>

>>

>>

>> On Friday, July 10, 2026 at 12:34:37 AM PDT, Odette James <

>> o.b.james at verizon.net> wrote:

>>

>>

>> I have just had the most surprising birding experience I have had in

>> years! I am at the Lakeshore retirement community, 11448 Rainier Ave S.,

>> Seattle

>> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/11448+Rainier+Ave+S.,+Seattle?entry=gmail&source=g>

>> As I was heading for bed shortly before midnight, I looked out the window

>> and saw what appeared to be a SNOWY OWL on the railing of the balcony

>> outside our dining room. I was able to get some not-very-good cell phone

>> snaps of it I can send to anyone who is interested. The bird has dead white

>> plumage, orange feet and legs, a black iris circled by yellow, but appears

>> to have an pale orange bill, not black. Also it is much smaller than a

>> Snowy Owl is supposed to be, only a bit over 12 inches long. Perhaps it is

>> an albino or an escaped some other kind of owl? It is puffed up, just

>> standing on the railing and I was able to get within 8 feet of it and it

>> paid no attention to me. It probably is ill.  I called PAWS and left a

>> message but by tomorrow the bird will either be gone or lying dead on the

>> ground below the balcony. No way I will try to capture it.

>>

>> That's what I love about birding. There are always surprises, some of

>> them pretty incredible.

>>

>> Odette James

>>

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