I’ve acquired an extremely valuable and valued resource: a personal owl guru. Her name is Sharon and she alerted me to a Northern pygmy owl that had been spotted in Sunol Regional Wilderness a few weeks ago. (She’s my owl guru because she also led me to my first burrowing owl.) Confession: I had never even HEARD of a Northern pygmy owl before! I headed to Sunol with high hopes (though bracing myself for disappointment, following all my failed burrowing owl experiences), and after scanning the trees near the trail junction he’d been spotted at, I saw:
I quickly ran to the other side of the tree, put on my biggest telephoto lens – because he’s the SMALLEST owl (smaller than screech owls, which I am very familiar with and which are very tiny) – and he proceeded to sit on his branch and make a bunch of adorable expressions.
To say I was elated was an understatement. I think I’ve actually LOST TRACK of the number of owls I’ve seen. California is good for owls, my friend!
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