It seems like any other burgeoning neighborhood.  There are houses, streets, lights, families walking with their children on an evening stroll, and even those being led by their canine companions.  It really is Anytown, USA.  And just like oh so many other neighborhoods that began to leave their marks over the last 6-7 years, this one remains unfinished with graded lots waiting for the economic tide to return.

Although seemingly bare, it’s a highly occupied suburban ecosystem that has managed to flourish despite the surrounding sound walls and hardscapes.  On the surface this appears quite paradoxical, but that’s exactly where one needs to look, on, and below, the surface.  However, we’re not the only ones who know this incredible secret.  With more than 30 Burrowing Owls watching the world go by from their sidewalk perch, folks in Brentwood, CA have indeed been witnessing a burrowing owl bonanza – and I must say they are impossible to miss.

Over the last 7 months or so we have been paying extra attention to this site.  Not because we are just enjoying the company of owls (we do of course), but activity has been building akin to the rumblings of a volcano before an eruption.  This area first appeared on our radar in 2009 and has jumped from single digits to a colony of more than 30 individuals.  We discussed on numerous occasions proper care and management of the area with bank-hired workers clearing dirt from sidewalks and operating small tractors on this foreclosed property.  We changed attitudes, corrected protocols and uncovered burrows inadvertently buried.  Things went quiet.

Within a couple months the ground was again rumbling and our phone was ringing off the hook from concerned neighbors who awoke to find “their” underground owls in danger.  Squirrels were being poisoned, burrows were being covered and black tarp was being stretched just above the sidewalks as a Burrowing Owl deterrent.  Phone calls continued to ring out across the East Bay as organizations and agencies were alerted to the activities. Construction was imminent!

But eyes, ears, binoculars, cameras, the community and BOCN were on the scene to monitor activities and ensure adherence to state and federal laws.  BOCN’s East County Program Manager met with the developer’s project manager on site and we followed up with the City of Brentwood’s Planning Manager.  We had a great discussion and the time has come to approach the city during Planning and City Council meetings so we can work together for the protection of Burrowing Owls in Brentwood.

As of now, development activities are currently on hold, breeding season 2012 is underway, and we successfully banded together for the benefit of a small owl that lives underground. These little wins are important and we are very much looking forward to the many chicks that will eventually emerge from their burrows this year.  An undisturbed breeding season can only help a species with a dwindling population.

We are not fortune tellers, but this owl paradise is certainly coming to an end.  And it is our priority to ensure the continued safety of these resident owls.  We certainly cannot be everywhere at once so your observations are essential in the months to come to ensure their conservation.

If we want to continue seeing Burrowing Owls in Brentwood, Contra Costa County and the Bay Area, we must work together for sustainable and responsible development.

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