I found a Northern Pygmy owl at about 9:30 a.m. yesterday along the Riche trail. It was being verbally harassed by an Orange-crowned warbler, 2 Western bluebirds, an Oak titmouse, a Hutton’s vireo, a Ca Scrub jay, and 6 hummingbirds- hard to miss.

I watched it for about 15 minutes. Small size, yellow “staring" eyes, false “eyes" on back of head, brown streaks on white chest, little ball shape with tail sticking off to the side. It was on a snag in a partly dead tree near 4 orange traffic cones about 1/3-1/2 way down the Riche trail from the parking lot.

I alerted the Audubon group that was visiting there today but I think it had left by the time they went looking for it.

Kathryn Spence
Moraga