R: Pa Owl.
Today I spent a bit of time in my backyard and checked in on my owls.
Miller was going to meet me for Owl Time, and as this was going to be his third attempt, I was SO HOPING TO DELIVER.
But first, I wanted to scout all the usual spots way before sunset. Including the last locations of the Owlets that I knew of.
Started at the AIDS Memorial Grove, where a tuckered out Eastern Gray Squirrel was lazing on a tree branch. But the top of the creek was fenced off! Wasn’t able to see any Great Horned Owl of the East from there. So I moved on.
Stopped to notice the many blooming flowers in the newly landscaped trails across the Monarch Bear Grove Meadow, like Roseleaf Sage and Clockweed and Lavender and Yarrow.
Over at the CAS, I was looking for the two elder Owlets. One of them was observed there on the 26th! Couldn’t find any at the museum. So I moved on.
Stopped to notice lovely Matilija Poppies in bloom at the CAS Botanical Garden and even Squash blooms in the East Garden.
I was thinking I’d at least get lucky over in the Owl Nursery area. But after much searching, I couldn’t find any GHOs. It wasn’t yet a half hour before sunset, so I just went Naturing.
The customary West Coast Lady and Red Admiral butterflies there were battling when not stopping to pose for me. On the Slime Mold Lab Trail, a Flycatcher was briefly spotted in the Blackberry bushes along with some House Finches. And many other small birds were actively out and eating up all they could.
Walked to the Lily Pond and spotted a sleeping Common Raccoon near the top of a tree I’ve seen them sleeping in before. But when I approached the pond, things had CHANGED. The Blackberry bushes were cut way back to a spot where a fence was installed. And plant flags were in their place. A pesticide sign was posted. WOW!
ALSO, there is some new grass-looking thing actually in the pond now. Weird. The pond is still in its usual recent state of SWAMP. Though, I saw newtome blooms of Giant Arrowhead. And, GET THIS. There are now FLIPPIN’ LILY PADS AT THE LILY POND! In bloom, TO BOOT! Yellows and pinks. What the heck is going on?? Algae is covering almost the entirety of the surface. Are these new plants that will help the algae? Or are they coming back because of the algae??
It was time to try listening for Owls, so I took the South Ridge Trail back. And waited. Noticed a smattering of picked-apart GHO pellets under the fakenesttree. A Nuttall’s Woodpecker showed itself. And some Steller’s Jays were squawking at nothing I could see.
Wandered over into the Secret Gardens and found myself in an incredible parfumeria when I walked past the bonanza of blooming Angel’s Trumpets. Never smelled them like that before!
Stopped to admire the darling heart-shaped leaves of the Redbud tree just past the Angels’ Trumpets. Because I can’t help myself.
Back on the Slime Mold Lab Trail, I just birded. SO MANY BIRDS moving through the trees there. Dark-eyed Juncos and Pygmy Nuthatches and at least one Townsend’s Warbler.
Then Miller showed up to join me. And we ended up doing the same loop I had just done to kill time and to show him around my neck of the woods.
This time at the Lily Pond, we spotted Shamrock and Cross Orbweavers, plus a Great Blue Heron in the pond. Started to feel more like the Lily Pond that I know and love.
We arrived back where we started, near the Owl Nursery. And it seemed like GHOs were not in the area. And I was about to admit defeat when I heard A HOOT. From far away. In the direction of the CAS. So off we went!
It sounded like it was coming from across Pelosi Dr., and indeed IT WAS. Miller was the first to spot Pa Owl. Then I heard Ma Owl. THEN I heard ANOTHER FEMALE hooting from the CAS! We first got good looks of Ma and Pa Owl, who were both high up in a Monterey Cypress. Duet-hooting. I believe it was Miller’s first time seeing an Owl? Or seeing a Great Horned Owl? Well, definitely seeing MY OWLS. And I was THRILLED to finally DELIVER.
I mean, I honestly can’t remember the last time I went looking for my owls and not at least hearing them.
So I got to keep my Owl Witch cred. Yep, yep.
Miller headed out, and I continued on back across the street to look for the presumed Owlets. And I found them! TWO! I’m thinking these are the elder Owlets?? Male and female. Duet-hooting.
But, here’s the thing. Do siblings duet-hoot? Or just mated pairs? Gotta look that up!
The female flew across the street. And the male soon followed. This looked like the siblings to me. They have done this time and time again. So that’s my theory.
Two people stopped to ask me about the Owls (of course), and then Brian showed up! He knew I was going Owling in the evening, so he took a chance on finding me. And he was able to, by finding the Owls. I have taught him well, folks.
So, it’s been some time since I’ve seen FOUR GHOs in one day. And I got to introduce a friend to my owls. AND, to top it all off, BATS were fluttering by above us at the very end of the night. Which Brian and I enjoyed very much. FANTASTIC DAY OUT!
