I took a short-cut trail back to the hills after my 6-mile trek around the salt ponds off Coyote Hills Point yesterday, and just as I was getting near the end of the narrow levee back to the hills, I scared up a Burrowing Owl. Obviously, he saw me first (as usual for me), but I tracked where he landed and then slooooowly, step by step, made my way back along the levee towards him, standing stock still and getting a few shots every few steps. Until my SD card ran full and I had to take the backpack off, fish out a spare card, change cards ... But he stayed where he was, watching me the whole time, and a managed another few steps before he finally decided I was close enough ... and flew a little further along the levee. No point in pursuing him then. I'd reached his minimum distance already. The images I got are "long shots" (thank goodness for superzoom and a teleconverter!) so not the best quality, but it's my very first self-discovered owl, and my very first Burrowing Owl, and I was even pretty sure of the ID before checking my book, what with those long legs and the erect posture. Whoo hoo! First lifer of this trip, and even if it turns out to be the only one, I'm a very happy birder for having seen him :D
