[EBB Sightings] Burrowing Owls in Dublin

Hi East Bay Birders,

I just wanted to thank Brian Zeiler for posting directions to the 
burrowing owl he has been watching at the intersection of  Tassajara 
Road and Dublin Road in Dublin.  We finally went out there this 
afternoon to check them out (arrived around 230pm).  Just as he said, 
the owl was plainly visible at the northeast corner of the intersection, 
sitting on a post between the "Walk" signal and the empty field. 

After watching for a short while we realized that there were actually 
TWO owls there and they have a nest in that little triangle of land.  We 
briefly saw the head of a third owl in the grass near the burrow but 
didn't get a great view of it since we were staying in the "car blind". 
Presumably they have a nestling or two there.  They were very protective 
of the site and several pedestrians (particularly one with a dog on a 
leash) stirred the owls into a hovering shriek attack.  The button to 
trigger the walk signal at that corner is only a few feet from their 
burrow so people weren't intentionally disturbing the owls, but the 
proximity obviously agitated them. 

The empty field they are nesting by has a huge housing development on 
one side and a mall across the street so I'm afraid these owls will not 
be able to use this site for many more years.  In fact, I would expect 
another development on that field any time now.  Anyway, there is good 
viewing from the car if you take a right on Dublin Road at Tassajara and 
flip a u-turn to come back along the owls' side of the street at the 
corner.  They were watchful of us in the car but it did not stir them to 
action like the pedestrians did.

Here are a couple pictures we took.  I'll try to get more on my regular 
website tomorrow.    http://www.californiabirder.com/owls/

Good birding!
Mary and Holly




Also, since it hasn't been mentioned in awhile, the
burrowing owls are easily visible in Dublin almost
anytime.  At the corner of Dublin Blvd & Tassajara
Road, on the northeast corner, an owl likes to perch
on a metal post.  He is there about 75% of the time
during the day, easily visible at the intersection.