R: Bunchleaf Penstemon.
Today I went Naturing right after work! I’ve been curious how Black Point has been lately. I heard the Great Horned Owls had returned to their palm tree. And I needed something short so I could get over to the owl nursery before sunset.
When I arrived at the top of the gardens, it looked like House Finches were on the grass beyond? Do they do that? The resident Black Phoebe that’s often there was none too pleased about it!
I wasn’t sure about the Finches because I had totally forgotten to grab my binoculars on my way this morning. Rookie mistake. So all I had was my digital camera for seeing things far away. Sure did make me miss my binocs.
The Great Horned Owls of Black Point were in the same spot in the same palm tree as last I saw them. One was relatively visible, with the other hardly visible. I was able to see the bottom tips of tail feathers to the right. And when I looked at my photos at home, I could see the unmistakable talons peeking out.
I’d love to know the story of this pair. Natalie said they went away and had returned. Hm! What adventure did they have?
The one I could see best SEEMED large, so I’m guessing it was the female. She was sleeping when I first saw her, but I lucked out that something must’ve rustled below her to alert her. She soon dozed off, though. But, whatever. So nice to see them again! And, might they stay? And nest this Winter??
A West Coast Lady IMMEDIATELY stopped to pose for me. And I ended up getting likely THE BEST photo of one of their faces EVER. Score.
What looked like a Skipper zoomed in and out without stopping. Saw a Cabbage White fluttering around later, so the Butterflies are digging Black Point!
My second check was on my California Flannelbush that I planted forever ago. And, can you believe it? It is TALLER THAN ME NOW! Still too skinny, but hopefully it’ll grow up nice and strong. Even had a single flower at the very top. So proud of that Flannelbush!
The gardens are very much in their Summertime looks. Lots of plants have gone to seed. But there were some bright spots here and there. And the pollinators were loving all the Naked Buckwheat.
I did my usual inspections of the usual areas where I’ve pulled weeds in the past. A Mourning Dove (first time seeing one there) was contentedly perched on top of a tree stump. And it was great to see lots of baby plants coming out of the ground. The Coyote Mint and Yerba Buena were doing well. One Coastal Bush Lupine appeared to be trying to take over the place.
Looked at the terrace level below me, and a variety of birds were flying in and out of the few shrubs down there. Like a Wilson’s Warbler (crap photo, but proof I saw it!) and a Lesser Goldfinch and a Song Sparrow. That artichoke plant further down is trying to hang in there. Bunchleaf Penstemon brought nice pops of color in a couple spots. And Indian Shot berries had cracked open their shells. Wonder if any birds there go for them?
The California Fuchsia was going bonkers, and a Hummingbird seemed very happy to have it there. Of course, since it’s an insanely bright red color, my camera didn’t even bother trying to focus on it. Nope. Oh, and adorable Catnip was doing nicely near the top.
I made a final stop to see if the GHOs were doing anything differently. The female was AWAKE. And looking about. Wish I could’ve stayed to hear them hoot… Next time?
My big plan for today including ending at the owl nursery. See, there’s a full moon tonight. And I thought I might be treated to a hooting duet like none other, and in the owl nursery to boot.
Well, they weren’t in the owl nursery. OF COURSE. Pa Owl was in the fakenesttree, though. In his favorite spot. No sign of Junior or Ma Owl. Went back to the owl nursery and looked again. Nope. No one in the corner euc. Or in the eucs near it.
Headed back to the fakenesttree, and I spotted Junior. Out in the open in a Monterey Pine, with Golden Hour light on her! Got some shots of her I’m quite happy with, I must say. Wish I’d done a better job of capturing her incredulity at an Eastern Gray Squirrel that seemed to challenge her for a second before running underneath the branch she was on to get past her.
She started cry-hooting. And flew a bit towards the owl nursery. Where she stopped among the pine cones to nibble on them? At least, that’s what it looked like to me. I’ve seen this before, with Junior ’22? Need to look up what they’re doing when they do that. Are they nibbling? Or cleaning their teeth? Or?
She soon flew back and was out in the open again at the edge of a small branch over the Slime Mold Lab Trail. After getting a couple photos on the trail, I took a step North and ENTIRELY SURPRISED A GREAT HORNED OWL THAT WAS ON THE TRAIL AHEAD!
I repeat! It was ON THE FLIPPIN’ TRAIL!!!
I was rightly shocked and stopped immediately to see it fly off to a nearby tree. And this is where THINGS GOT INTERESTING.
Okokok, so I look up and see that Pa Owl is in his same spot. So this was Ma Owl that was on the trail, doing something mysterious. Pa Owl was looking intently from where Ma Owl had flown up from. THEN, Pa Owl flew down to the same spot. Landed ON THE TRAIL. And was putting his beak to the ground.
I could not figure out what was happening. I thought MAYBE there was a fresh kill there (that I couldn’t see) that was left when I spooked Ma Owl from that spot? But then Pa Owl looked like he was taking a DUST BATH. ON THE TRAIL. I really don’t know how else to describe it.
Ma Owl flew down and LANDED ON THE TRAIL near him. Looking around. Then Junior flew down to JOIN THEM. I couldn’t believe I was witnessing THREE OWLS ON THE GROUND NEAR EACH OTHER. They look entirely awkward trying to walk on the ground!
Then Pa Owl flew up, and I swear to gawd he flew a couple feet toward me and hooted right at me and flew to land in a nearby tree. I felt TERRIBLE. I mean, I was close to them. Like fifteen feet? But I had stopped right when I saw I was interrupting something, and I COULDN’T MOVE.
But Pa Owl’s hooting at me shook me out of my state, and I stepped back another fifteen feet. Junior flew up and into a different nearby tree. And Pa Owl CAME BACK DOWN FOR ANOTHER DUST BATH!!! All three were soon there again, and Junior must’ve annoyed Pa Owl trying to beg in his face that he flew up and toward the owl nursery. She followed right after him. And Ma Owl flew up and back into that nearby tree.
Junior cry-hooted in the owl nursery briefly. And soon returned to annoy Ma Owl with increasingly louder cry-hoots. Junior gave up, flew away a short distance, and HOVERED IN MID-AIR WHILE LOOKING DOWN before giving up and flying into the nearby fakenesttree. Was she trying TO HUNT??
She cry-hooted again. Then came back and really got into Ma Owl’s face with it!!
Can’t believe I didn’t have my binocs for this moment. And it was easily too dark to take photos or see well through my camera. ROOKIE MISTAKE, I TELL YA.
At this point, Junior was shamelessly HOUNDING Ma Owl. I couldn’t believe HOW LOUD her cry-hoots were! She even started FLAPPING HER WINGS AT MA OWL. I didn’t know they did that!! This soon prompted Ma Owl to fly towards the owl nursery, with Junior immediately following.
Walking toward the owl nursery, I wondered if this was all part of the plan to teach them how to hunt? Like, make them TRULY BEG and follow the parents so that they are forced to see how the hunting is done?
By the time I got there, they had flown off again to the AIDS Memorial Grove. Where I was still able to hear Junior cry-hoot! And at that point, the show was over.
But, SO EXCITING!!! Now, I was expecting some intense hooting due to the full moon, AT BEST. But this was A BUNCH of INTRIGUING BEHAVIOR I’ve never seen before! And I can hardly describe the thrill of having my owls so close to me without trying to get close to them! Some more owl photos below for the owl fans.
So, yeah. I had an OWL-FILLED Naturing time today/tonight. Should I thank the full moon?
