Short-eared Owls on Skaggs Island

After receiving news from the Northbay Birds list-serve that Short-eared Owls were being seen in the Skaggs Island area, Pat and I drove the loop around the Napa River marshlands. This means going south on 29 to 37, going west to Sears Point, and then returning to Napa via Schellville and Ramal Road.  We met two other birders on the bridge on the entrance road to Skaggs Island off of Hwy 37 and together waited for these owls to appear.  On the way in we spotted a nice Peregrine Falcon that flew to the top of a power pylon and posed nicely. At about 4 we began to see the Short-eared Owls as they hunted the fields of Skaggs Island.  The county lines are tricky here and by positioning yourself at different parts of the bridge you could see these owls in both Napa and Sonoma counties.  Patrick enjoyed these birds although I did have to drag him to the truck to start the journey. Ah the power of a firm gentle nudge.