Burrowing Owl in the Rain

According to California’s Department of Fish and Game’s Resources Agency, California’s population of burrowing owls has been markedly reduced since 1940, due to the loss of habitat to agriculture, urban growth, and poisoning of ground squirrels. 

The City of Davis and the State of California have been working to reverse the decimation of the owl population, labeling the burrowing owl as a species of special concern. 

Davis' 26 acre greenbelt around Wildhorse Golf Club has one of the densest populations

 of owls in the state. 

It was here a project was developed to construct new mounds for the owls with the help of the Wildhorse Golf Club, who has an ongoing program to maintain the nesting sites and educate their patrons to exercise care around them. 

Within the past 20 years and particularly within the past five years, the decline of burrowing owls in California appears to have greatly accelerated.

Larry Jordan has excellent info the burrowing owl on his site: http://www.thebirdersreport.com/

Costco Killdeer Colony

Finding Birds in All the Wrong Places

Costco Killdeer Colony

By Sarah IG: wasthatasquirrel

Shopping at Costco in Citrus Heights, CA, may never be the same. On a recent shopping trip I was commenting to my hubby on how uncharacteristic the unsightly entry is: hard pack, rutted mud and dried scrub - more common to the inland deserts and my old hometown of Phoenix, AZ. In the midst of my less than scintillating travelogue, I caught a flash of familiar markings ... "Stop the car!!!" (A familiar hysterical and oft unreasonable cry the hubby is accustomed to ... ) Necessitating a u-turn and ignoring wilting groceries in the trunk, yielded a most exciting and surprising encounter with a small community of nesting Killdeer!  

Some stood their ground, boldly guarding their nests, while others demonstrated the most fascinating behavior of faking a broken wing to draw me away from the nest - actually willing to sacrifice themselves for the next generation! 

Killdeer are unusual among Plover - being found far from the ocean or bodies of water. They are often seen on golf courses or other large expanses of lush landscape, but I had not heard of them being associated with such a dry, arid habitat.

Their large, soulful eyes somehow tug at my heart - I would love a yard full of these beautiful birds! As you can imagine, this discovery has changed the way I shop at Costco - every trip must include a visit to the Costco Killdeer Colony!

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