Thanks for the reminder! I had forgotten about this.

Excellent! I’ll look forward to it.

These are some excellent pics! It almost isn’t fair.

That in flight picture is gorgeous! This was an even more difficult decision than GHO vs. SWO. Ultimately, I had to go with Barn Owl. I just love the pattern on its feathers.

I will be sad to see GHO go, but I had to vote for Saw Whet. ❤️ I know it has what it takes to be Owl of the Year!

I have done a few puzzles of her artwork. They are pretty popular in the jigsaw puzzle community. https://eeboo.com/collections/vasilisa-romanenko

Just one more way that they’re like cats.

This is very surprising for me. I figured Snowy would move on and be very tough for Saw Whet to beat in the final, but maybe Crested has some momentum this year. Or maybe if Snowy gets knocked out it’s very good for little SWO. I suppose this match isn’t over yet, though.

No, that pic is excellent. It’s just so weird that some owls eat fish. It almost got me to vote for it.

So tiny, so cute. ❤️ Look at its face! And the feet! How could you not vote for it? Saw Whet 2024

A judgy Long Ear.

Get some sleep!

I don’t get it either. Long Ear Owl ❤️

(photo from hawkmountain.org, photo by Jamie Lehn)(I just found it in a google search)

I am happy that Short and Long Eared Owl won their rounds. Sad to see Sooty go, but it was up against GHO, who deserved to make it out of round one. I really hope Saw Whet can go all the way, but Snowy is formidable.

I am Team Saw Whet to win the whole thing, but I will be sad to see Barred Owl go. They have really grown on me this past year.

Yes, that made it easier to take. I voted GHO in this match up, but it was a difficult choice. Sooty is a pretty owl.

A vote for Spectacled Owl because Great Grey is too scary-looking.

It’s interesting that they both have light colored/white feathers to the inside of their eyes.

Had to vote Flaco. ❤️

My husband made it. I’m not sure how often it updates, I’m sorry. As to weatherproofing that was asked about, we keep it in the garage. I think the microphone is outside or right by the window, I’m not sure.

It’s generally pretty good. It picks up a bunch of warblers during spring migration that I can hear, but never can find in the trees. You can listen to the clips and check against audio from allaboutbirds.org or somewhere online.

It’s not perfect, though. I know that it used to say there was an Eastern Screech Owl and we would listen to the audio clip and it was a siren. 😂 But that’s fixed now. Sometimes it will identify a Dunlin, which is a shorebird, which maybe is passing through during migration, but I doubt it. I haven’t looked into that one too much. There’s also some kind of goose that comes up now and then that could be passing overhead, but I think it unlikely. It said there was a Ring-necked Pheasant in the yard the other day, but again, I’m skeptical. This is the suburbs.

It’s pretty fun to “see” what birds are in the area that aren’t your standard feeder birds.

Yes, that was me. Unfortunately, I’m not the one who built it, I just enjoy the data, so I can’t offer any advice. 😅There are a lot of birds it picks up that I have never actually seen, including a Barn Owl. It’s pretty cool.

GHO has to make it out of the first round this year! I’m voting GHO.