Long-eared Owl still in eastern Alameda County
Mon, 05 Jan 2004 00:20:13 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
I am forwarding this message to the list for Rich Cimino:
Sun, 4 Jan 2004 19:36:16 -0800
Tonight Dave Bowden and I arrived at 5:30 to view the Long Eared Owl on Grant Line Rd.
The owl was present. There were also 4 Great Horned Owls along Grant Line Rd as well. At 5:35 a Barn Owl flew out of the tree across from the tamarisk trees. So an easy three-owl evening.
Pleasanton
Rich Cimino
Posted to EBB by Larry Tunstall
Original Message Next Reply Subject Index
Re: Alhambra Valley, between Pinole and Martinez
Mon, 5 Jan 2004 07:20:05 -0800
From: Roger Hartwell
There is a pair of Great Horned Owls that hunt in the flat grazed land near the "Pinole Y" (intersection of Castro Ranch Rd, Alhambra Valley Rd, and Pinole Valley Rd). One or both can sometimes be seen at dusk along the Castro Ranch Rd portion of this area. I saw the pair together at dawn last week, just over the hill (I noticed large raptors pairing up this past week). The area off the road, like most of the area you describe in your note, is watershed land and not open to the public. However, barbed wire is not opaque.
Roger Hartwell
Orinda, California
Original Message Subject Index
Re: Bald Eagle locations
Mon, 05 Jan 2004
20:33:59 -0800
From: Tom Condit
Bob Hole wrote:
I've been asked several times in the last couple of weeks where Bald Eagles have been seen near central Contra Costa County.
I've been referring people to Lafayette Reservoir because I've seen that bird mentioned here - but is there a bird or birds at Lake Del Valle, or anywhere else around this winter?
There are allegedly a pair at Lake Del Valle [near Livermore] and another pair at Lake Chabot [Oakland Hills].
Tom Condit
Original Message Subject Index
Re: Long-eared Owl still in eastern Alameda County
Tue, 6 Jan 2004 21:07:31 -0800
From: Akira So
Late afternoon today before it started raining, I finally had a chance to go and look at the Long-eared Owl originally found and reported by Steve Huckabone 3 days ago.
Lucky for me it was still there, up among the trees. (Thanks to Steve it was very easy to find. The markers he left there were still there too. Birding doesn't get much easier than this.)
I was able to snap a few pictures as well
http://home.earthlink.net/~akira_s/Temp/LongEaredOwl.htmalthough it's no substitute for looking at the real thing.
I then drove further on to Clifton Court Forebay for a very brief birding there, where I saw a Burrowing Owl among others (along the dirt road paralleling the levy on the northwestern side of the reservoir) thus making it a two-owl day for me. But then it started raining as well as getting dark, so that was it for the day.
Happy birding,
Akira
Pleasanton, CA
Original Message Next Reply Subject Index
Re: Long-eared Owl still in eastern Alameda County
Tue, 06 Jan 2004 21:50:44 -0800
From: Joseph Morlan
Akira,
That's a very nice photo, but actually it looks like a Great Horned Owl. Notice the horizontal barring across the breast and belly.
Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA
Original Message Next Reply Subject Index
Re: Long-eared Owl still in eastern Alameda County
Tue, 6 Jan 2004 22:32:04 -0800
From: Akira So
Oh no, how embarrassing!
Having never seen a Long-eared Owl before, I was just looking at a few of my field guides myself, noting how it doesn't look like the ones in the books. Of course Joe is right - it's not Long-eared Owl, but a Great Horned Owl! That explains ... :-)
I jumped to the wrong conclusion because it was at exactly where I expected it to be. ("Hey, it has got long 'ears.' It has got to be the Long-eared Owl!") :-) I will try to be a bit more vigilant next time....
I guess I will have to make another trip there and try again. Thanks, Joe, for pointing out my obvious error.
Oh well, at least I learned something...
Regards,
Akira
Pleasanton, CA
Original Message Next Reply Subject Index