Barn Owls and the Heat Dome of 2021

Larry Pynn has written an article about Barn Owls and how they suffered during the Heat Dome of June 2021. One of my pics was used to illustrate the article.

 https://hakaimagazine.com/news/climate-change-and-housing-adaptation-owl-edition/

Owls and Sparrows

Boundary Bay, Delta, British Columbia.  March 12, 2012. Sunny breaks and warm.

Barn Owl (Tyto alba)

I hadn't even thought about going birding but the sun kept poking through the clouds so I quickly loaded the car and off I went to Boundary Bay. It began to rain as I drove through Surrey but when I arrived at the coast it was sunny and warm. I had no plans to target a particular species but I did need some exercise before the next big storm rolls in and soaks everything. The weather lady calls for three days of rain and wind.
Am I glad I got off my backside, I had only been on the dyke a few minutes when I spotted what I thought was a Short-eared owl but as the distant speck approached it became clear it was a Barn owl. They are not often seen during the day, the Bald eagles tend give them a hard time and they are normally nocturnal hunters. I managed about 7 shots with six in focus and 2 with good expressions before the bird was out of range.

The underside is adorned with small black spots

On my way back to the car I met a birding "duo" from Prince George who pointed out a Lincoln's sparrow to me. I had seen them in the Caribou but this was my first for the Lower Mainland.

I'm glad I didn't say home, the Newcastle v Stoke game which I had on the PVR can wait for a rainy day.

Lincoln sparrow (melospiza lincolnii)
The bird skulked around the undergrowth, occasionally coming out to bathe in a ditch.