[EBB Sightings] Short-Eared Owl @ Coyote Hills

I also was out at Coyote Hills this afternoon,
arriving around 4:30 and staying until it was dark
right before 6:00 pm. At around 5:30, a Short-eared
Owl flew into the marsh from the area behind the
visitor center. It was carrying a mouse or small
rodent, and flew directly in a straight line from the
west and landed about 300 yards east of the first
parking lot. About 5 minutes later, I saw another
SEOW, possibly the same bird, flying west towards the
visitor center and disappearing briefly in the ravine
behind the visitor center. About 30 second later, it
reappeared and began circling the marsh at an
elevation of 100-150 feet above the ground. I watched
it circle the marsh for over 5 minutes, and eventually
fly north and disappear beyond Alameda Creek. As
Stephanie mentioned in her post, the fog parted around
5:00 pm and the sky was calm and perfectly clear. I
think I saw Stephanie leaving as I was scoping the
marsh from the trail near the parking lot. 
  Other sightings not mentioned included a Loggerhead
Shrike in the parking lot, and a Say's Phoebe near the
visitor center. There was also a Sharp-Shinned Hawk
perched in a tree on the hill above the parking lot
being harassed by a Kestrel. One of the ranger
mentioned a Golden Eagle sighting earlier in the day
on the west side of the hill near the bay. But I
missed that one today.

Good Birding,
George Chrisman
Burlingame, CA


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