My wonderful colleague and friend Vicky Meretsky took me owl banding on Wednesday. What a treat to stay still and hear the many sounds of the Northern saw-whet owl (barks, hoots, and we used a lure that sounded like a backing-up truck…). Above is a beautiful female about 2 years in age with razor sharp talons and gorgeous eyes. I also learned that Northern saw-whet owls have “porphyrin pigments in their flight feathers. When exposed to a UV light the ventral side of the wing, the feathers will fluoresce a neon pink. This is used in order to estimate molt and age in adult northern saw-whet owls” (read on wikipedia to get the details right). Vicky describes them as being “about the size of a coke can”. What a treat. Happy Thanksgiving all.