[EBB Sightings] Burrowing Owls / San Jose CBC

Hi all:

Our team had south Fremont as part of the San Jose CBC
on Sunday.
Four Burrowing Owls continue to eke out an existence
in industrial areas, against all odds.

We had 3 Burrowing Owls just south of Grimmer on Warm
Springs at the south end of the model airplane flying
field.  This area is planned to be on the BART line to
San Jose; unfortunately heavily weighting against the
owl's future tenure at this location.  At one point
one of the owls starting craning it's neck and
swiveling from spot to spot.  I looked up and there
were four White-throated Swifts flying overhead. 
Would not have seen them without the owl's assistance.

The fourth Owl is in a traditional location used for
many years along the railroad tracks just north of
Mission and just east of 880 adjacent to NUMMI
property.  We get a permit to bird in and around NUMMI
property for the count, so I don't pay a lot of
attention to signage. This road was open with no
gates, but it could well be signed PRIVATE.  

At this same location is an expansive tilled but
undeveloped field bordering the 880 north on-ramp.  We
had a rufous-phase red-tailed hawk here that I've seen
two straight years now.

Pictures of all, and other CBC birds are available at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14935921 at N00/

Good birding,  
Bob Power
Oakland, CA