Back in 1917 taxidermist Thomas Earl of Columbus wrote: "“A curious flight of Barn Owls was noted in 1917 just previous to the cold winter of 1917-1918. Two or three times a day for several weeks during the November hunting season Barn Owls were brought in for mounting. Other taxidermists had the same experience and I believe by a conservative estimate 200 Barn Owls were killed in Central Ohio by hunters, who encountered them everywhere.” (Bent 1938:150). This was back almost a century ago, when observers were less numerous and roads were fewer and more primitive. And the tally was of birds killed and brought to taxidermists, not just birds seen. Nowadays, we celebrate spotting a handful of these owls during any given year. Worth pondering, Bill Whan ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]