I found a pair of Burrowing Owls on one of our properties!

The Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) is currently on the petition list to be added to the California Endangered Species Act or threatened species list. Due to massive habitat loss their numbers have rapidly declined since the early 1900s and that decline increased since the 1970's.

Yesterday I spent a few hours before dusk at one of our Preserves observing these little guys to determine that what we saw during our vegetation survey work were indeed Burrowing Owls. I sat in the pasture surrounded by curious little cows and more than a couple large ones, trying to take notes and then GPS coordinates of the nest site. It occured to me that this special sighting is yet another example of how grassland/rangeland management practices can aid in wildlife preservation, maintain a ranching heritage AND keep open spaces open (exclude all commerical development). The owls were utilizing a corral area with plenty of fencelines and posts for them to perch on and abundant ground squirrel holes for them to nest in. This same preserve has wonderful veral pool habitat and open grassy areas but it is only within 40' of this corral that the owls are nesting.

I'm just excited to see more than one endangered species living on one of our working preserves because this is what we (Placer Land Trust) strive to attain and what so many environmental organizations (including the California Cattlemans Association) work so hard to achieve, a safe haven for flora and fauna that have been extirpated elsewhere. All this while maintaining a working landscape! I'm going to continue my observations over the summer and write up a small report of my findings then add this nest site (hopefully a breeding pair) to the California Natural Diversity Database.

 

I have not seen it. I read it is a comedy about ecoterrorism though. EEK! lol

I tried to get pics last night but the durn baby calves wouldn't leave me alone so they kept spooking the birds away from the burrow and I'm not good enough to catch them in flight. I'm going to work on keeping my distance and observing them with binoculars until they are a bit more approachable then I can use my camera and get my own pics.

Cows were doing the same thing during our Veg survey as well.


I have pics of what I was sitting in though. lol

Hawkbit (Leontodon taraxacoides)


Horned Downingia (Downingia bicornuta)


Not sure what he is but I'll find out in class tomorrow

 

I love the book and I agree that there are other ways to help people make money and stay employed without degrading habitat.


Betelgeuse, I'm sorry. I knew I should have came armed with pics but the buggers are so fast in flight and I am pretty sure I won't be able to get pics any time soon yet I was excited to find them and post. Haha I'll do better next time and thank you for the compliments!

 

I wrote an article for our Land Trust Newletter and got a couple pics (bad ones) of our owl friends. I thought I'd share them with you.

Pic#1 Meet Bob. Bob is a resident burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) on Swainsons Grassland Preserve. lol

Pic#2 Is the seasonal wetland next door to his home (also part of the 469 acre preserve).


If you are interested you can read the informational article I wrote. I'm not a journalist so bear with me. *I've edited out names due to internet privacy issues*

 

I will be sure to tell him next week when I go out for more monitoring. His loving wife was not photographed due to botched shots of wings covering her face and a bunch of screeching. I believe I may have caught her before she had time to preen.

She is every bit as lovely as Bob and Athena would suit her well. If I get any decent shots that she approves of, I will post them up in this thread with her very appropriate name displayed in the caption. Thanks Godiva. LOL

 

Ohh snap! That's crazy lol

*must remember to wear a better hat when going out to monitor Bob and Athena*

Jack66, Don't you just love it when they suprise you like that? Thank you for the kind comments. I'll work on obtaining better pics or I'll have my buddy shoot them with his super neato camera. lol

On a side note, you could tell her that the lastest studies provide evidence that the owls bring dried cow dung to the nest entrance in an effort to attract insects, their main prey. Smart lil buggers.