There’s an eviction looming on the horizon, but the residents don’t see the signs.  An earthmover and bulldozer sit temporarily idle on a newly paved road.  Homes are in various stages of development a block away.  A sales center adorned with colorful flags and signs branded by the company’s name have settled on a gravel laden lot.  There is a hodgepodge of empty parcels including undisturbed habitat, farmland in the midst of returning to its pre-agricultural state, land that had been graded just prior to the housing crisis, and property in which streets have been etched into the surface but are yet to be installed.  A streetlight flashes on and off while waiting to be programmed to control future traffic.  One, two, three, ten and perhaps more than twenty burrowing owls perch along fresh sidewalks, rest atop water pipes, stand guard on a chain-linked fences, and occupy burrows peppered throughout the impending human sprawl.

There’s evidence that evictions have been here before, which has now been confiscated as spoils of war.  Obviously the attempt at burrowing owl eradication did not take.  Obviously the consultants failed to adhere to an eviction policy designed to prevent owls from returning. Obviously the owls will have to undergo the trauma and danger of yet another removal. And as I traversed the landscape I realized I had been here before.  The location is different, but the situation is the same.  It’s burrowing owl eviction déjà vu and I don’t like what I’m seeing.

However, there is a silver lining so to speak.  It’s not much but I have breeding season on my (our) side for the moment.  It’s better than nothing; it’s better than the status quo that has been allowed to proceed unfettered for years in California.  The good news is that the word is getting out and the plight of burrowing owls is spreading.  People are taking notice and an interest by providing tips and sighting reports.  And that’s exactly what we need to ensure future protections.

Unfortunately future protections will not save these owls so I am now looking for something a little more immediate.  I crave long-term solutions, but will settle for short-term action if it means these neighboring raptors will not become a statistic in the Bay Area’s recent 28% burrowing owl population decline.  So a visit to the Planning Department to review the Environmental Impact Reports was warranted.  If only it contained the answer to the burgeoning burrowing owl issue that is plaguing Contra Costa County.  Instead I stumbled upon Department of Fish & Game inconsistencies that make me wonder if there is a lack of policy understanding within the agency, if there is an attempt at disseminating propaganda, if consultants are completely misinformed, or if it is simply a little bit of everything designed to mislead the public and help developers instead of working for species conservation.  Whatever the reason it is completely unacceptable and it solidifies my resolve to make sweeping conservation changes in this state.

But while I formulate my plan of action, nature moves forward as intended.  A lone kestrel swoops down at a burrowing owl standing guard in front of its burrow.  A black-tailed jackrabbit explodes from the brush and disappears within seconds.  California ground squirrels dart for cover and sound the alarm as I sidestep growing tumbleweeds.  A burrowing owl crouches in an effort to blend with the dirt and weeds, and a plastic bag rolls across the site; reminding me that these owls are surrounded by urbanization and yet another illustration of habitat lost.

Tags: burrowing owl, burrowing owl eviction, burrowing owls, passive relocation

This entry was posted by Scott on Friday, June 18th, 2010 at 5:29 pm and is filed under Human Threats, Owls, birds. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.