p.1 #1 · Getting together and shooting together in Southern California
Gary @sum1sgrampa is currently in Southern California. Bobby @bobbytan, Gary and I visited 2 birding locations here locally. We did the first fairly early in the morning and it was my favorite burrowing owl site. In the afternoon, we went to a large park where a family of 5 white-tailed kites calls that home.
Last year I noticed and reported a drastic decline of the owl population there. Now, there are at least 2 burrows; there are one owlet and an adult in one and the other is pretty crowded with at least a single adult and 5 owlets. What a delight to see that the conditions are better compared to last year’s conditions. The question remains how long they will remain there since the property was slotted for development but the plan was delayed, which I assumed due to the pandemic.
The currently gloomy weather conditions make June bugs stay underground. In warm weather they emerge from the ground and fly around. They become favorite meals for those owls. Maybe we have to wait another month for that condition to arrive. Gary and I were talking while waiting for more owlets to get out of the burrow, when all the sudden an adult owl landed there with a fairly big rat. All three of us missed the landing . The adult owl then dragged the catch into the burrow and not to be seen again for a while. The owlets at the other burrow cannot fly yet. They bunched up at the opening of the burrow and we could snapped a few family pictures of them. They are fun to watch.
The juveniles of the WTKs are active and are flying around at this stage. We witnessed a few mid-air food transfers but they happened too far away from our spot. One of the chicks that got the mouse flew somewhat closer to our location and I snapped a few images that are posted here.
It was great to be able to put a face on the name and to shoot together with Gary. I am looking forward to the next outing wherever that maybe.
Thank you for stopping by and please feel free to leave any feedback,
Joshua
p.1 #3 · Getting together and shooting together in Southern California
Well Joshua, i can't do any editing till i get home but how am i going to follow this post very interesting to see shots from someone sitting side by side. That's a first for me. Beautiful work as always. I may have a surprise for you from the Kite site as i was leaving. Thanks again. Couldn't have picked a nicer fellow as my first "shooting buddy"
p.1 #4 · Getting together and shooting together in Southern California
gcooke0522 wrote:
Wow, what great shots. Very nice images. Well done.
Gordon
Thank you very much, Gordon!
sum1sgrampa wrote:
Well Joshua, i can't do any editing till i get home but how am i going to follow this post very interesting to see shots from someone sitting side by side. That's a first for me. Beautiful work as always. I may have a surprise for you from the Kite site as i was leaving. Thanks again. Couldn't have picked a nicer fellow as my first "shooting buddy"
Take your time to do so, Gary! Thank you for your kind comment. It was really a pleasure meeting you and shooting together with you. I am looking forward to the next adventure.
Here is a souvenir from our getting and shooting together….
p.1 #5 · Getting together and shooting together in Southern California
Hi Joshua, thanks for posting such good photos of two of our favorite nesting raptor families. In general, raptor nesting numbers are tied to habitat quality. If it's been a wet year with lots of plant growth, rodents abound and raptors raise more chicks. If it's a drought year, there will be less prey so raptors have smaller numbers or may not nest at all. Kites in particular are well known for having widely fluctuating populations throughout the years with lots of ups and downs (their favorite prey is voles). That's why you and others are seeing "good" years and "bad" years. Both Burrowing Owls and White-tailed Kites are dependent on open space to hunt meaning grasslands. This is one type of habitat that is seriously gone in Southern California due to development. That's why it is so important to PROTECT the remaining places from any kind of disturbance where these nesting birds live. I feel so privileged when I get to quietly photograph these birds from a safe distance. I also enjoy the beautiful photos of the FM group!
p.1 #8 · Getting together and shooting together in Southern California
marshqueen wrote:
Hi Joshua, thanks for posting such good photos of two of our favorite nesting raptor families. In general, raptor nesting numbers are tied to habitat quality. If it's been a wet year with lots of plant growth, rodents abound and raptors raise more chicks. If it's a drought year, there will be less prey so raptors have smaller numbers or may not nest at all. Kites in particular are well known for having widely fluctuating populations throughout the years with lots of ups and downs (their favorite prey is voles). That's why you and others are seeing "good" years and "bad" years. Both Burrowing Owls and White-tailed Kites are dependent on open space to hunt meaning grasslands. This is one type of habitat that is seriously gone in Southern California due to development. That's why it is so important to PROTECT the remaining places from any kind of disturbance where these nesting birds live. I feel so privileged when I get to quietly photograph these birds from a safe distance. I also enjoy the beautiful photos of the FM group! ...Show more →
Hi Trude,
Thank you very much for your kind words. Yes, I am sad to hear that a big courier company bought the entire lot last year where the burrowing owls live. They are still there on borrowed time, I understood. I hope that somehow they change their mind and leave those owls be where they are.
louie champan wrote:
Wow, what an outing would like to have been along. Great images Joshua and always enjoy looking at a group shot.
Thank you very much, Louie! If feasible, we all can get together at Bosque next winter. It is always fun doing it as a group. Gary and I talked about the possibility.
morris wrote:
Great looking set Joshua. It sounds like a wonderful outing.
Wishing for bugs is something you will never hear me do, even though I know they bring in my subjects.
Morris
Thank you very much, Morris! Yes, it was really great. Haha, you don't like bugs, huh?
p.1 #14 · Getting together and shooting together in Southern California
Thanks for posting photos of those cute owls and the triumphant proud kite! Looks like a lot of fun, but I have to agree with Morris about the bugs. They are mean to me.
. The adult owl then dragged the catch into the burrow and not to be seen again for a while. The owlets at the other burrow cannot fly yet. They bunched up at the opening of the burrow and we could snapped a few family pictures of them. They are fun to watch.
very interesting to see shots from someone sitting side by side. That's a first for me. Beautiful work as always. I may have a surprise for you from the Kite site as i was leaving. Thanks again. Couldn't have picked a nicer fellow as my first "shooting buddy"
