The Owl Family

I guess you can file this one under "bird brain," but I'm excited that there is a family of burrowing owls living at the corner of one of the busiest intersections in my city. I noticed them a couple weeks ago on my way home from work. There were three little brown owls scurrying around on the ground, hopping up and down from a fence, flapping their wings and bouncing around. I've seen them a few times since then and it really looks like they're living there. Today I was stopped at the red light and saw one, nearly completely camouflaged against the dirt, standing on one foot and keeping a watchful eye on a ground squirrel that was rummaging around him.

I don't know much about owls or why they would be hanging out in a field at 5:00 in the evening, so I looked it up! Turns out, they are burrowing owls. They live in the ground, are most active at dusk at dawn, and often perch themselves on fence posts or mounds of dirt. How cute! I really want to go take pictures of them, but since they are at such a busy intersection, I think I'd be a little embarrassed. I don't want a bunch of people driving past me wondering what on earth is that girl taking pictures of? An owl? What a wacko!

So I'll settle for sharing these cute pictures with you:

On a final note, when I texted Dan to tell him where the little owl family is living, he told me that there are more owls living just down the street from there. "They are large breasted and have orange bottoms." It took me awhile, but I finalize realized that he was talking about these owls: