Page 16 - Sentinel February 2018

WILD SIDE Continued from page 15 cies? Get ready. Wait
12-18 inches, but I would go for 12-18 feet. for it. BIG BIRD.
What else?
Moving along to South America
where many new species have And a snowy owl
been discovered – 30 in Guyana, – have you seen the
seven in Bolivia, etc. In the Gala- stories and pictures?
pagos on a small island called – has made the Stand-
Daphne Major scientists spot- ley Lake area its win-
ted a finch, much larger than the ter home. A stunning
native ones. The finch was able picture appeared on the front page of the Denver Post. See the
to mate with one of the natives picture here courtesy of Gerry Merrell. People have even seen
and produced hybrid offspring. it perched on roofs, looking for its next meal. This is another
These two birds were unable example of an irruption, when birds migrate a lot further away
to attract mates from the native from their usual winter grounds in Canada. For snowy owls, it
population. The songs were all is cyclical as the lemming population fluctuates in the Alaska
wrong. No Frank Sinatra for those babes, whether large species snowy owl breeding grounds. When the lemming population
or small species finch. So, the two hybrid offspring did the in- is high, food is plentiful, and more offspring result. When win-
cest thing and mated with each other. 30 years later, and voila! ter sets in, the young uns have to expand their reach to obtain
An entirely new species, much larger than the natives. enough food.

So where did this original finch come from and what was he? These owls have gone as far south as Florida. In Colorado,
He became lost after venturing 60 miles from a nearby island. there have been several other snowy owl sightings this year. If
He is a cactus finch. If anyone has studied Darwin’s finches, all you see one, please keep your distance. Contrary to other owls,
this sounds logical EXCEPT scientists were so surprised how
Continued on page 18
fast a new species could form. And the name of the new spe-

Home Auto Farm Equine Commercial Workers Comp

“As a longtime resident of Perry Park, I understand your insurance needs.”

Kathy Lobato Insurance Agency

720-496-1679

1 Oakwood Park Professional Center ~ Suite 201

Castle Rock, CO
kathy.lobato@gmail.com

Affiliated With

Page 16 - February 2018 Perry Park Sentinel