After unsuccessfully looking for the Hayward Shoreline burrowing owl at least 20 times, I’ve come to the conclusion that it is a collective figment of the imagination of various Bay Area birders. I just don’t think it exists. If it does exist, it is simply NOT FAIR I’ve never seen it. The ironic thing, though, is I otherwise have excellent luck seeing owls (and other raptors) at Hayward Shoreline. Last winter I saw several short-eared owls, which even the owl guru has never seen. (I dragged her there after I saw them on my own, but of course there were none to be found that day.) And the day before Thanksgiving, as I was walking dejectedly back to my car after sunset having failed yet again to see the burrowing owl, guess what flew right over my head? Two BARN owls! Barn owls are much more common than burrowing owls, but as it happens, I’ve never actually seen a wild barn owl in flight, and although I have seen a couple in a nest box, I’ve never gotten a photo of any wild barn owl. Unfortunately it was so dark by the time I saw them, I pretty much didn’t really get photos this time either, but I did save the images I took because they are so far my only non-captive barn owl pics, and seeing them did make me feel a little better about life.
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