[EBB Sightings] RE: Recent Owls in CC and ALA Counties

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Greetings EBB'ers,

On a field trip as part of my Natural History of  Birds Class (Acalanes Adult 
School) for last Wed., 16 Nov. 2005 we found the  following:

1.   WESTERN  SCREECH-OWL - adult, gray morph in trees along the Mt.  
Diablo  Creek & trail in Clayton;  seen, close-up,  from the bridge  nearest 
the Clayton  
Library.  This bird first attracted our attention with bouts of its 
descending,  
tooting  call heard in the parking lot at ca. 8:45 PM.  
2.   BARN OWL - adult, all  white-breasted bird first heard with it's 
"clicking" call  
from the  WSOw location ca. 800 - 1,000 feet away.  Called in with a rodent  
squeak (of  PEG's own), it was seen flying around us in an open area ca. 60  
yds.  near the downstream trail on the se. side of Mt. Diablo  Ck.
3.   GREAT HORNED OWL - female  hooted from 300+yds. barely heard from  
end of  Regency Woods Rd. (off Marsh Creek Rd.). On the preview, 3rd night  
prior, 
a  pair were alternate hooting from a large Oak Tree much  closer (200+/-ft.).
4.  NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL - 2-3 owls gave relatively short bouts of 8 -  
12 tooting  calls and occasional shrieks (one of which might have been  
WESTERN  SCREECH-OWL). This was on the preview trip, Sun., 13  
Nov.'05,  along Morgan Territory Rd.at mile marker 6.0 (ca. .2 mi nw. of the  
Morgan  Territory Regional Park boundary) at 11:45 PM. On the trip night  
(ca. 9:45  PM), only GHOw's and several WESTERN SCREECH OWL's  
were  heard, but without the standard, descending, tooting call. No NSOw's  
were heard  here this night.
5.   WESTERN SCREECH  OWL - 2 - 3 owls gave descending, tooting calls as  
well as  several yelps and shrieks across the road (southwest) at the closed  
entrance  of Morgan Territory R.P.ca. 10:45 - 11:05 PM. GHOw's were heard  
in the  distance also. The class disbanded here, returning to the carpool  
parking  lot in Clayton. PEG continued into ALA Co. to return home in  
Hayward.
6.  BURROWING OWL - single bird flew up off the roadside in the car  lights  
along  Morgan Territory RD., ALA Co. ca. 3.5 mi. beyond the M.T. R.P.  
toward  Livermore. This is only 2 -4 miles from at least other two known  
colonies  (Camp Parks, Santa Rita Rd.;  and, Springtown, ALA  Co.).
NOTE:  Burrowing Owl for Sat., 12 Nov.'05 was reported to PEG near the  
Delta  Pumping Station kiosk at the West end of Kelso Rd., ALA Co. (3/4  
mi. s. CC  Co. line) by the gate guard (Luis Kingsley); known to forage  
within  range of lights most nights.
 
Apologies for the late posting: in part a fault of the computeresque type,  
PEG.

Happy Owling,
Phil E. Gordon
Hayward, ALA Co.  


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Arial"=20
bottomMargin=3D7 leftMargin=3D7 topMargin=3D7 rightMargin=3D7>
 of=20
Birds Class (Acalanes Adult School) for last Wed., 16 Nov. 2005 we found the=
=20
following:

     1.   WESTERN=20
SCREECH-OWL - adult, gray morph in trees along the Mt.=20
=20
Creek & trail in Clayton;  seen, close-up,  from the bridge=20
nearest the Clayton=20
y.=20
This bird first attracted our attention with bouts of its descending,=20
g=20
call heard in the parking lot at ca. 8:45 PM.=20
white-breasted bird first heard with it's "clicking" call=20
he=20
WSOw location ca. 800 - 1,000 feet away.  Called in with a rodent=20
 (of=20
PEG's own), it was seen flying around us in an open area ca. 60=20
  
          =
 yds.=20
near the downstream trail on the se. side of Mt. Diablo=20
Ck.
     3.   GREAT HORNED OWL - femal=
e=20
hooted from 300+yds. barely heard from=20
=20
Regency Woods Rd. (off Marsh Creek Rd.). On the preview, 3rd night=20
prior, 
          =
 a=20
pair were alternate hooting from a large Oak Tree much=20
closer (200+/-ft.).
     4.=20
  NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL - 2-3 owls gave relatively short bouts of=20=
8 -=20
ting=20
calls and occasional shrieks (one of which might have been=20
N=20
SCREECH-OWL). This was on the preview trip, Sun., 13=20
5,=20
along Morgan Territory Rd.at mile marker 6.0 (ca. .2 mi nw. of the=20
=20
Territory Regional Park boundary) at 11:45 PM. On the trip night=20
:45=20
PM), only GHOw's and several WESTERN SCREECH OWL's=20
heard, but without the standard, descending, tooting call. No NSOw's=20
eard=20
here this night.
     5.   WESTERN SCR=
EECH=20
OWL - 2 - 3 owls gave descending, tooting calls as=20
s=20
several yelps and shrieks across the road (southwest) at the closed=20
ce=20
of Morgan Territory R.P.ca. 10:45 - 11:05 PM. GHOw's were heard=20
=20
distance also. The class disbanded here, returning to the carpool=20
g=20
lot in Clayton. PEG continued into ALA Co. to return home in=20
d.
     6.=20
  BURROWING OWL - single bird flew up off the roadside in the car=20
lights=20
Morgan Territory RD., ALA Co. ca. 3.5 mi. beyond the M.T. R.P.=20
=20
Livermore. This is only 2 -4 miles from at least other two known=20
es=20
(Camp Parks, Santa Rita Rd.;  and, Springtown, ALA=20
Co.).
           N=
OTE:=20
Burrowing Owl for Sat., 12 Nov.'05 was reported to PEG near the=20
 
           =
Delta=20
Pumping Station kiosk at the West end of Kelso Rd., ALA Co. (3/4=20
 CC=20
Co. line) by the gate guard (Luis Kingsley); known to forage=20
=20
range of lights most nights.
pe,=20
PEG.

Happy Owling,
Phil E. Gordon
Hayward, ALA Co.=20

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