Burrowing Owl Box Installation Workparty
Saturday October 22nd, 9am-Noon

Please join us at the Sears Point Ranch (near Lakeville Hwy & Hwy 37) in a regional effort to lure the declining western burrowing owl back to Sonoma County for breeding.  This charismatic owl often winters here but leaves to breed.  Together with Sonoma Land Trust, Sonoma Birding, the Burrowing Owl Conservation Network, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, we aim to change that. Moderately strenuous work will include digging with shovels and picks. Although the soils are hard, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has made the job easier by pre-drilling the burrows.  For more information or to sign-up, please email: volunteer@sonomalandtrust.org.

It’s still not too late to join us for either of these events in Lincoln, CA on June 8th and the 15th…

During the month of June volunteers can join Placer Land Trust, Defenders of Wildlife and Burrowing Owl Conservation Network at our Lincoln Preserves to install artificial burrow systems for the Western Burrowing Owl.  Click the maps to enlarge for more details and directions.

I love the support!  With our current petition to garner protections for burrowing owls in California underway, we’ve been receiving a lot of signatures in the mail.  So, when a letter from Maryland reached our office, I assumed I would be adding names to our growing list.  However, I was pleasantly surprised to find a letter from Joshua, an elementary school student, and a check for $111.48.  Although this is definitely something that we will include in the next newsletter, I just couldn’t hold off sharing his inspirational story any longer.  I hope everyone is just as excited to read this letter as we were, and perhaps his enthusiasm will be your motivation for burrowing owl conservation or any cause that touches your heart. And just between us, his letter has resulted in the development of a new educational program that we will be launching in the near future.

Thanks Joshua and the Bowie Montessori Children’s House for supporting our conservation efforts!

To Whom It Concerns:

I read about your organization and hope it is very successful this year, because we love these owls!  I decided to write a report about burrowing owls, because I read and loved the book “Hoot” by Carl Hiaasen. To do the report I used the internet and looked up information about burrowing owls, and read about how they are in need of conservation. I found out about your organization and thought it was great! So I decided to see if I could raise some money by telling my class (Bowie Montessori Children’s House) about the owls, and asking for donations to help your organization.  The enclosed check is the money I received for the owls.  Thank you so much for your work to save burrowing owls!

Respectfully,

Joshua

Well, I completely fell off the social media beaten path and for all practical purposes it’s been over a month since I have even posted a picture, tweeted or updated our Facebook page.  I won’t even attempt to relay how far behind I am in emails.  Let’s just say burrowing owls are keeping me (and our volunteer group) extremely busy behind the scenes and every place in between. 

In an effort to ease myself back into some sort of routine, I thought I would highlight a few of the things we (as the Burrowing Owl Conservation Network) have completed and are working on for burrowing owls.

• Burrowing Owl Workshop at the 12th Annual Snow Goose Festival (Larry Jordan, Burrowing Owl Habitat Manager and author of The Birder’s Report)
• Keynote presentation, featured presentation and educational booth at the 15th Annual San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival
• Presentation and panel-discussion contributor at the meeting of the Burrowing Owl Consortium
• Joint habitat restoration and artificial burrow projects with the Placer Land Trust and Defenders of Wildlife
• Sonoma County Habitat and artificial burrow projects in conjunction with private land and ranch owners
• Prewett Park Burrowing Owl Habitat Preserve enhancements and interpretive signs , educational programs, and community center diorama
• Site visits to safeguard and track suburban burrowing owls
• Classroom field trips
• Finalizing innovative educational programs with the assistance of our new Educational & Outreach Program Coordinator
• Burrowing Owl conservation strategy petition and letter for California

As you can see we have been quite busy over the last month and this is only a partial list of the items that were on and are currently filling our agenda.  We have numerous research projects, presentations, events, and educational outreach activities on the horizon for 2011 spanning the Western U.S.  And of course we are tackling protections for burrowing owl colonies under threat from habitat loss.

So, we need your help, your eyes to keep a look out for burrowing owls and your voice to spread the word.  PLEASE sign our petition to urge the development of a conservation plan for burrowing owls in California.  Your signature will accompany our letter as we hand-deliver it to the State of California.

Sign via mail, an electronic form or through Facebook!  And get all your friends to sign as location does not matter. Burrowing owls are facing declines throughout North America so it is not just a California problem.

The ins and outs of burrowing owl conservation can be daunting to say the least.  And with events that continue to unfold such as those described in my last post, Misplaced Warnings Hinder Burrowing Owl Conservation (and many others actually), it becomes quite obvious that there has been no significant action in California for a long, long time. 

But a few adjectives does not adequately describe the situation nor does it translate that punch in the gut reaction we need to make significant changes to policies in the Golden State for burrowing owls.  And the public is going to play a vital role in helping the Burrowing Owl Conservation Network make sure new policies are developed and more specifically, a Comprehensive Conservation Strategy.  I could rehash the reports and declines of burrowing owls across the state, but for now I’m thinking we are all on the same page.

Thus, I thought I would unveil a meter that tracks the time that has elapsed since the California Department of Fish & Game (CDFG) has taken any real action for burrowing owls.  So way back in 1995 the CDFG released a staff report to aid developers, consultants, etc. involved with projects and developments that “may affect burrowing owl habitat.”  All these years later the same guidelines are still in place and the population continues decline year after year.  I think it’s time to not only release the new guidelines ASAP but to finalize the Comprehensive Conservation Strategy that has been promised for over 7 years.  Burrowing owls have waited long enough!

So in case you missed the counter, it can be found just above this post. More importantly, we are also working on a call to action that will require everyone’s assistance. So keep up the great work spreading the word, sending people to our organization’s website, and recruiting your friends to the Facebook cause, Save Burrowing Owls.

I could see their skeletons rising above the concrete sound wall and I just knew a lighthearted Saturday afternoon had now been irreparably damaged.  I didn’t want to look, but felt a responsibility for the sole burrowing owl that had been managing to hang on to its shrinking suburban habitat.  One of seven remained up until the second week in October; it was akin to an individual holding fast to principles and refusing to sell the family land.  He sat solemnly in front of his burrow as the 360 degree view was transformed from short grasses to asphalt streets. Unlike previous visits, I knew exactly what to expect this time after breaching the neighborhood’s walls.  But it didn’t soften the blow at all.

Construction activities were in full swing and homes were in a variety of developmental stages. I walked to the last known occupied burrow, but like nearby satellite dens it had been camouflaged with piles of dirt. This burrowing owl habitat became an ordinary, lifeless lot that is predestined for urban adornments such as driveways and lawns. 

As I stood over the memories I could only hope that proper measures had been taken to ensure the safety of the owl prior to filling in its home.  The track record for this site is not good, and with a history of covering up active burrows (watch video) during breeding season I cannot be faulted for assuming the worst.  With what I can only imagine to be an irritated look upon my face I asked Heather why it is so difficult to get answers from agencies designed to protect our wildlife.  I simply want to know why my messages go unanswered, why immediate action by officials ultimately fizzles out, and why documenting the loss of burrowing owls is only met with the same ubiquitous “concern” for my safety:

“Did you have permission to go do this? It might open you up for trespassing.”

Is this really a concern or am I essentially being issued a warning?  I thought the actual issue was preventing the loss of burrowing owls in the Bay Area and California.  For the record, I always respect local laws…just wish others would do the same when it comes to our wildlife.  And I’ll let you know if or when I receive an agency response, but for now the status quo continues as I deal with misplaced warnings that hinder burrowing owl conservation.

Prior to latest construction behind black barrier. Lower left corner: Burrow and owl

Burrowing owls are facing sharp declines in California due to habitat loss, lack of education, etc. In this example we discovered that a developer in Contra Costa County failed to follow proper procedures and covered up the burrows of nesting burrowing owls during the 2010 breeding season. This is not an isolated incident and it highlights the need for the general public’s observations and support.

A quick flick of her wrist and her index finger was motioning me to check my lip.  There was a little blood, but I wasn’t surprised considering over the last two days we had logged 17 hours under the increasingly warming sun.  My lips were cracked but I hadn’t noticed until now.  Lines of dirt accumulated on the teeth of the other workers and as I rolled my tongue across the front of mine I knew I too was blessed with a temporary brownish smile.  As the shoveling came to a rest, I removed my gloves and slapped them against my ranger pants; creating a second dust cloud that drifted away on a slight breeze.  It was an miserable attempt at cleaning off before the sixteen of us made our way back to base.  At 5 o’clock we watched America’s stripes slide down the flagpole while “retreat” resonated from the speakers. We had reached the official end of the duty day, had shown our respect for the flag, and installed 36 artificial burrows in two days on the Umatilla Army Depot in Oregon.

Weapons Storage Bunkers (empty)

It was a whirlwind experience that began a few days before as Heather and I, under the banner of the Burrowing Owl Conservation Network, found ourselves exiting the tarmac in Portland and making the 180 mile drive to Hermiston.  As we followed the Columbia River the forests were eventually replaced by grasslands living atop sandy soils.  This is burrowing owl habitat and we were eager to get started restoring historic breeding grounds.

Artificial Burrows - 55 gallon juice drums

By Monday morning a small crowd gathered not too far after admittance through the guarded gates.  Heather and I were joined by representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of British Columbia, the Global Owl Project, and the Umatilla Chemical Depot.  We were all here to help in the re-establishment of breeding burrowing owls on part of the ~20,000 acre government facility.  We were an army of sixteen conservation-minded individuals equipped with shovels and rakes.  According to depot officials, coyotes were trapped in an effort to protect a transplanted herd of pronghorn antelope.  Unfortunately, the trapping process resulted in the loss of the badger population, which was responsible for digging the burrows for the owls. When the badgers disappeared, so too did the burrowing owls.  As is always the case when man interferes with the natural ecosystem, the loss of one species caused the loss of another.

Top of artificial burrow - Bucket removed provides access to chamber

Burrow prior to installation

But thanks to the efforts of David Johnson, Director of the Global Owl Project, and Don Gillis, Natural and Cultural Resources Manager for the Umatilla Chemical Depot, a restoration effort is in place to give migrating burrowing owls a place to rear young when they return to Oregon during breeding season in late April.  To counteract the lack of natural burrows, we installed artificial ones using donated 55 gallon plastic Tree Top juice drums that were cut in half.  Besides creating artificial burrows, a study has been implemented using geo-locators and bands to track both the adults and young.  The idea is to create an area from which young owls can disperse to neighboring areas in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia and combat falling populations.  It’s an effort that I would like to emulate here in California and one of the many reasons we attended this event.

Heather checking band on yearling owl

Banded owl with geo-locator

And over this two day outing I received an incredible amount of information, realized just how great it was to have an opportunity to network with federal officials and other burrowing owl conservationists, and see how lucky I was to have access to a resident population of owls. Together we can turn things around in North America for this species.  By the way, I also found that digging in sandy soil is so much easier than the rocks and clay we routinely contend with here in Northern California.  Oh well…it’s for a good cause after all!

Cover-up!  Yeah, it’s an understatement and it’s more than a strategy of concealment under the classic definition.  The sad thing about the situation is that I’ve witnessed an ACTUAL owl cover up.  Literally. Active burrows that we have been monitoring since February, one of which safeguarded the results of a successful breeding pair, were covered by erosion control fabric.  But after talking with the developer’s Director of Land Development, I think the destruction of burrows was perpetrated at the behest of ignorance, assumptions and a lack of following proper protocol. And that explains the obvious back peddling and misdirection that unfolded during the conversation.  They know they screwed up. I know they screwed.  But proving that owls, eggs, and young were killed is up to the federal wildlife officials who enforce the protection of migratory birds.  And don’t get me started on the immediate attitude I received from an individual in the City’s Planning Department.  Hmmm, I guess we’re not all on board with preserving nationally and internationally protected and declining species.  I’m only giving them one more chance to change my impression.

But what about the owls?  Well it’s a story that began in February 2010 with a sighting report that we received from a concerned neighbor.  I’ve said it before and will say it again, it’s a Bay Area and California issue that is perpetually rearing its ugly head as burrowing owls return to habitat that remains open while construction activities sit idle.  And over the course of 6 months we watched the owls thrive amongst weeds that eventually reached  a height of 7 feet.  It was an incredible sight to see a species that loves short grasses find their way in towering mustard plants; a testament to their high site fidelity and instinct.  But all that was about to change.

Owl living in burrow by sidewalk and tall grass (before mowing in June)

In the approach of the summer months, land owners and developers felt the squeeze of fire suppression codes and regulations in Contra Costa County.  By the end of June the weeds were mowed, the owls were happy and the first offspring were emerging from their burrows.  Their vision was now completely unimpaired as the invasive plants were reduced to stubble.  Owls utilized the streetlights for perches, fire hydrants for standing guard, and their burrows lined the sidewalk as I have seen hundreds of times before.  It is a partially developed neighborhood that was in need of 30 or so homes to complete the scene.  But a soured economy left the previous developer in bankruptcy and the land open for burrowing owl colonization.

Against all economic odds, construction was ready to roll even though nesting burrowing owls were occupying the site.  As a precursor to construction activities and in an effort to abide by city erosion control regulations, the builder jumped the gun and installed a layer of black landscape fabric before a biological consultant stepped foot on the land.  All burrows that were in an approximate 15-20 foot wide strip along the sidewalks were now effectively sealed.  Any owls and young that retreated to these burrows for safety were trapped inside, and any eggs that littered the nest chamber were forcibly abandoned.  A clear violation of federal and state laws.  To keep things family friendly, let’s just say I was irate, I blamed myself for allowing this possible travesty to occur, and it solidified my desire to continue educating the community and bolstering citizen science.

Burrow by streetlight along sidewalk

Fabric covering burrows

An email to the developer, the city, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the California Department of Fish & Game was sent that night to ensure the protection of the remaining owls and young.  It was about 9am the following morning when I received a call from the builder’s Director of Land Development.  It was a lengthy conversation in which I tried to impart a little burrowing owl biology and survey procedures prior to beginning construction.  I got nowhere except being told many times that a biologist had visited the site, they had instituted a better form of erosion prevention, owls were seen at another nearby site they owned, there were no breeding pairs or young, no active burrows under the fabric, the tall grasses meant no owls were living here, and the owls onsite right now just flew in  a few weeks ago.  This was damage control at its best and instead of a white flag a consultant’s survey report was being waved in front of my eyes as if it provided exemption from the destruction of a protected raptor.

However, the surprises continued and the survey that was indeed conducted at the site could best be described as poor.  Perhaps the fabric was hiding all the evidence, but more likely it was the paycheck that concealed the proof that burrowing owls had consistently been residing and rearing young here. 

“No juveniles were observed.  None of the owls in the site exhibited territorial behavior typically exhibited with an active natal burrow.  None of the burrows were surrounded by an abundance of feathers, white-wash, or pellets which would indicate long-term occupancy.  Based on time of year (i.e. late July), behavior of the on-site owls, and lack of an abundance of sign around burrows, these owls may have just recently moved into the site.”

“Near-term commencement of model home construction on lots 22 and 23 would be unlikely to adversely affect the on-site owls, due to the spatial separation of the lots from the occupied burrows.”

Survey Report, July 26, 2010

And by the way, I found it funny (in a disturbing way) that during subsequent visits the whitewash had been removed from portions of the sidewalk next to these “non-existent” owl burrows.  Coincidence?  I could go on and on, but as of right now I am waiting for a response from the USFWS agent assigned to look into this matter.   I will also be sending an official letter, copied to the Planning Department, that advises them of the need to conduct proper surveys prior to the installation of such erosion control measures…amongst other things of course.

On a Memorial Day whim my wife and I loaded up the dogs and set out to find the elusive Haera Conservation Bank.  It is something I have been meaning to do for quite a while now, and as we had bypassed participation in all common holiday activities the afternoon was open for exploration.   I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, but after finishing some light reading that included an addendum to an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) finalized in January 2009, I became curious about this type of conservation solution for burrowing owls.  And let’s just say I’m not sold on the idea of mitigation banks for reasons (examples) that will unfold shortly.

But before we go on, maybe it is wise to touch on the notion of mitigation, which in short is an ecological restoration remedy.  The complete idea being that things are put back as they were before an incident occurred.  So with burrowing owls and other protected species that are displaced by development, the idea is to provide suitable replacement habitat for that which was lost. 

Now returning to the story, I discovered that in another instance of a yet to be started community in Antioch, CA, burrowing owls were evicted from their habitat in 2005.  The January 2009 EIR indicated that the eviction of these burrowing owls from their homes was to be ‘mitigated’ by the purchase of credits in a mitigation bank called the Haera Conservation Bank.  And after receiving numerous reports that such banks and habitats for burrowing owls are not always suitably maintained or contain owls, I thought a spur of the moment visit would be worthwhile.

And upon arrival I was actually surprised.  Firstly, I was taken aback to find that mitigation for burrowing owls evicted in the city of Antioch in Contra Costa County was not actually located in the same or adjacent cities nor in the same county for that matter.  The Haera Conservation Bank is situated approximately 20 miles from their former habitat and is located in Alameda County.  Thus, the loss of habitat in Antioch and Contra Costa County is not actually being replaced but simply lost as the sprawl continues to grow.  It’s another chapter in the same old story, yet we have the nerve to scratch our heads in wonderment when burrowing owls disappear.  Aren’t we forgetting the high site fidelity of this species? 

Well, I opened up the topic by indicating our destination was elusive for a reason.  I have yet to precisely pinpoint the bank’s boundaries as it seems to be a semi-guarded secret as far as finding the information quickly on the web.  I am sure with some more digging and phone calls I can identify the exact coordinates, but for now I have an approximate location.  With that said, my second surprise came as  the conservation bank is nestled amongst a wind farm.  And if you are not familiar with this controversy,  it has been a point of contention for quite a while and has been the subject of lawsuit (An action was brought by environmental advocates who alleged that the owners and operators of wind turbine electric generators were killing and injuring raptors and other birds).  According to a KQED documentary, up to 400 burrowing owls are killed each year as a result of wind turbines in the Altamont Pass (Thanks for the video link Janice!).  So is a conservation bank in close proximity to wind turbines really suitable? 

Besides the fact that the conservation bank was a minimum 20 miles from the evicted owls and was adjacent to wind turbines, I am happy to report that the landscape was actually comprised of short grasses and teeming with ground squirrels.  This was by far a much better scenario in terms of flora and fauna than other designated burrowing owl habitats I have come across… and I guess we have the grazing cattle to thank for the maintenance.  But I am left with a nagging question that I think we all know the answer to:  Are mitigation banks designed to service and protect the species in question or are they designed to service developers and lead agencies trying to circumnavigate paperwork and bring projects to a level acceptable under CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act)?

However, that does not mean I do not understand that mitigation banks may not serve a purpose in preserving large swaths of land free of fragmentation.  I see it and it is quite necessary as habitat fragmentation is a huge problem.  But, that does not mean wildlife agencies should readily dismiss onsite mitigation where owls are already living in favor of having developers purchase credits in a mitigation bank that is 20, 30 or 50 miles or more away.  Especially when what is needed is the preservation of more habitat within the confines of suburbia and city limits.  Otherwise we will undoubtedly find ourselves reminiscing about the days when those little burrowing owls were our neighbors.

As an FYI, prior to setting off  I rounded up a little information on this site and earlier this morning I placed a call to the point of contact for Haera in the hopes of retrieving some general details (i.e. number of burrowing owls present, etc.).  Well, I am waiting for a call back in regards to my voicemail, but here are a few details:

“Mitigation banks are large agency-approved properties where wetlands are restored and preserved to provide mitigation for wetland impacts in surrounding areas. Conservation banks for endangered species are wildlife areas that are preserved, managed, and in some cases, restored to protect specific at-risk species.” Wildlands, Inc.

“This bank [Haera Conservation Bank] is approved to sell San Joaquin kit fox credits. It is also approved to sell State of California Dept. of Fish & Game kit fox and burrowing owl credits.  Total Acres: 299 Counties: Portions of Contra Costa, Alameda, San Joaquin and Stanislaus.”  USFWS