It should be no surprise that this PBS documentary has caught my undivided attention. So I’ll just leave it short and sweet…except for the THANKS to my owl friend Maggie over at Hungry Owl Project for thinking of me and sharing this upcoming show, The Animal House (premieres November 2^nd).

Watch The Animal House – Preview on PBS. See more from Nature.

I love it when a plan comes together and I am even more thrilled when volunteers have an opportunity to see the fruits of their labor.  Although this story and more photos will be included in our upcoming newsletter, I just couldn’t pass up the chance to share some good news with everyone.  During our October 22, 2011 event to expand habitat in Sonoma, CA (a partnership between Sonoma Land Trust and Sonoma Birding), volunteers were given a firsthand glimpse into the life of Burrowing Owls, who could now be seen enjoying the safety of homes installed in mid-July. 

It was a perfect opportunity for people donating their weekend to Burrowing Owls to actually see conservation in action, and it reiterated the need for suitable habitat to aid this declining species.   Through our partnerships and the incredible hard work of those who joined us in Sonoma, we were able to install an additional 4 artificial burrows. And we can’t wait for more owls!

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.

Here’s a snippet from my latest post “There’s Gold in the Central Valley” that is currently gracing the pages of the Sequoia Riverlands Trust blog.  I encourage you to check out the rest of the article and the great photos provided by the organization’s staff.

I’m a prospector.  Not so much in regards to satisfying a thirst for that bright yellow, malleable element 79, but I am most definitely in search of naturally occurring treasures. I’ve found that putting an ear to the ground is often the best way to find the next spectacular vein, many of which are just mildly buried by the intricacies of our busy, daily lives.  Nonetheless, while these gems of nature continue to exist in relative obscurity, there is a story, a connection with nature if you will, that is longing to be discovered.  And in ever such a pioneer-esque fashion, I packed up my gear and let the power of 200 horses lead me to what is now a California valley rarity….read more>>>

Photo: Sequoia Riverlands Trust

Well, apparently this burrowing owl’s patience is wearing a little thin these days.  With an incessant flow of foot and car traffic near his roadside burrow I can certainly see why I was thrown a dirty look.  Even sporting a noble cause did not elevate me above a mere nuisance. Perhaps he’ll understand when we help garner him a buffer zone.  And no worries as I won’t take it personally my feathered friend.

Join us for An Evening with John Muir, a very special event featuring dinner and the Martinez premiere of the film, John Muir in the New World. The Evening is presented by the John Muir Association and the National Park Service in celebration of National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 24th at 5:30 p.m. Click Here to buy tickets and learn more about the event.

Click the picture for larger image

There’s a burgeoning city on the outskirts of the east San Francisco Bay Area.  It’s an agricultural mecca that in the last decade or so has discovered what an infusion of dollars from people fleeing exorbitant costs of living on the opposite sides of the bay can do to a rural setting.  It’s a city that is famous for America’s number one field crop and appropriately holds on to an iconic festival celebrating corn.  It’s a place where just down the road past the cornfields and orchards one can find a handful of dirt on the floor fruit and vegetable stands.  It’s a location that draws visitors aching for a bygone era when local food was indeed local, and picking out peaches did not involve a grocery store.  The city is Brentwood and it is a vital component to maintaining a Burrowing Owl population in the Bay Area.  When combined with Antioch, Oakley, Livermore and other outlying municipalities, they indeed make a case that this is the Bay Area’s Burrowing Owl stronghold.

But with the arrival of dollars and people, agricultural land and open spaces that once dominated the landscape are finding themselves transformed from suitable habitat to hardscapes that force Burrowing Owls to eke out a living in parking lots, along highways and even in the future site of the next peddler at the local mall.

Strip malls attract people which in turn draw in cars like a magnet.  I wish I could say the following was a hypothetical situation crafted to make a point, but sadly it has become reality.  In the case of the Streets of Brentwood, Burrowing Owls produced a family next to a two lane road that connects the mall’s parking lot to the main street.  As I’m sure you can surmise, juvenile Burrowing Owls learning to fly have become fodder for speeding cars.  After a heartbreaking incident, I met with management to propose the installation of caution signs as a means to remind patrons to slow down and be on the watch for low flying Burrowing Owls. 

Thanks to Jane Reid, General Manager of The Streets of Brentwood, the mall paid for and installed two caution signs on August 19th as a way to help safeguard the owls.  Since the installation, we are accident free!

I and the Burrowing Owl Conservation Network are excited to have their support and that of the many residents who were helping us keep an eye on these owls.  We are looking forward to working with this business in the future.

As you may recall, in April I rescued a Burrowing Owl who had become trapped in the rafters of Mainland in the Streets of Brentwood.  The quick thinking conservation-minded staff made a big difference for this owl who was returned to his burrow.  You can read the story and see the pictures HERE.

As a member of the Board of the John Muir Association, I am pleased to announce that we are accepting nominations for our 34th Annual John Muir Conservation Awards.  Information and forms can be found at John Muir Association.

Don’t hesitate as we are looking to honor outstanding individuals, businesses and organizations. Nominations must be submitted by September 30th.

The John Muir Association invites you to nominate a deserving individual, nonprofit organization, business, public agency or educational institution for recognition.

Award Categories

• Conservationist of the Year:  For an individual(s) who has excelled in environmental protection, or made significant contributions to the advancement of conservation.
• Environmental Education Conservation Award:  For outstanding contribution by an individual(s) (professional or volunteer), business, organization or public agency to environmental education, whether in a classroom or otherwise.
• Nonprofit or Public Agency Conservation Award:  For outstanding achievement by a nonprofit organization or public agency that promotes environmental protection, or demonstrated significant achievement or leadership in the advancement of environmental protection or conservation.
• Business Conservation Award:  For outstanding achievement by a business (other than a nonprofit organization) that promotes environmental protection, or demonstrated significant achievement or leadership in the advancement of environmental protection or conservation.

Eligible Nominees

• Individuals
• Educational institutions
• Nonprofit organizations
• Local, state, and federal governmental agencies
• Corporations and other business entities (that are not nonprofit organizations)

Copyright Johanna van de Woestijne

SHORELINE, MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA: Bird photography exhibit and discussion will be held at Rengstorff House on Thursday, September 15 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., a “Bird Photography: Initiation, Engagement, Equipment and Ethics”

An opening reception will be held to provide recognition to participating photographers and engage the public. Following an opportunity to view the photos on display, a one hour panel discussion on the topic will begin at 7:00 p.m. Participating panelists include: Lisa Myers of Let’s Go Birding; Patricia Rouzer, photographer and Former Board Member, San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory; Luis Villablanca, Mountain View resident and amateur photographer, as well as Phil Higgins, Shoreline at Mountain View’s Burrowing Owl Specialist. No advanced registration is necessary. Members of the general public are encouraged to wear layered clothing, as a portion of the event will be held outdoors.