Sunday, April 25, 2021

Western Burrowing Owl

I went out to the Salton Sea looking for burrowing owls again, hoping to see some owlets. None. However, after seeing 12 burrowing owls my the first time,  then 19 the second time, I saw 55 yesterday and got photos of 49 of them. I started on Vendel Road which is the road into the Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR, Unit 1. The first week I saw no burrowing owls on Vendel Road, the second week 1, yesterday I saw 7 of them. 
Owl 1

Owl 2

Owl 3


Owl 4


Owl 5

Owl 6

Owl 7
Driving south on Vendel Road I turned left on to Bannister traveling east, then turned left going north on Baker Road, all the way up to Walker Road. I saw 3 more owls. 
Owl 8

Owl 9

Owl 10
I turned right (east) on to Walker Road then right (south) on Bruchard Road to Bannister. I saw 5 owls along that stretch. 
Owl 11

Owls 12 and 13

Owls 14 and 15
I turned left (east) on to Bannister then left (north) on to Pellett Road all the way to Walker and saw 1 owl. 
Owl 16
Right (east) on Walker, then right (south) on Hoskins Road to Bannister and saw 3 owls.
Owl 17

Owl 18

Owl 19
Left (east) on to Bannister, left (north) on to McNerney Road up to Walker, I saw 2 owls.
Owl 20

Owl 21


Right (east) on to Walker and I saw 3 owls before reaching Lack Road.
Owl 22

Owl 23



Owl 24

Right (south) on to Lack Road to Bannister, I saw 2 owls. 
Owl 25

Owl 26
Left (east) on to Bannister, then left (north) on to Kingsley Road to Walker I saw 2 owls.
Owl 27


Owl 28
Right (east) on to Walker, then right (south) on to Martin Road to Bannister I saw 5 owls.
Owl 29

Owl 30


Owl 31



Owl 32

Owl 33
Left (east) on to Bannister then left (north) on to Forrester up to what would be Walker, but at that point Walker turns into the O'Brien Lateral. I saw 6 owls along Forrester.
Owl 34

Owl 35


Owl 36

Owl 37

Owl 38

Owl 39


At the O'Brien Lateral the road takes a rounded cure right (east) then left (north) on to Gentry Road and Gentry goes quite a few miles to W. Sinclair Road which is where the Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR, Unit 2 is located. Along Gentry I saw 5 owls. 
Owl 40

Owl 41

Owl 42

Owl 43

Owl 44
At Sinclair I turned right (east), the normal route I follow after visiting Unit 2. I'd never seen a burrowing owl along that stretch of road, but saw 5 on this trip. 
Owl 45

Owl 46

Owl 47


Owl 48

Owl 49
There are an incredible number of burrowing owls through that area and I'm really hoping to see some owlets. 

2 comments:

  1. Owl #39 gets my vote for Miss Salton Sea, with Owl #27 winning the Miss Congeniality vote.

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  2. Very good. I like your two choices. I also suspect that #27 has some cute little babies hiding out in that hole.

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