[SBB] Raptors Galore at Arastadero

[Ron Wolf <[[email protected]]>]

I have no unusual sightings to report, but want to point out that 
conditions at Arastadero are especially well suited for great looks 
at hawks and kites at the moment. There has been an explosion in the 
population of mice and voles during the last few weeks. In the short 
walk from the parking lot to gate A at dusk tonight, I saw no less 
than 50 mice feeding on thistle. The harriers, kites and red tails 
are having a tail-gate party up there at the moment. They're almost 
oblivious to human presence. I got the best looks I've ever had and 
taken the best photos of raptors that I've ever taken during the past 
week. For the last few nights, a juvenile red tail has been hunting 
from the fence posts next to the parking lot. He was sitting there 
eating a mouse tonight 20 feet from people putting their bicycles 
back on their car rack. One of the red tails came down on the trail 
12 feet in front of me to take a mouse before flying up to the 
closest eucalyptus for dinner. The red tails are having such an easy 
time of it that they're not even hunting from high perches. Some of 
them are sitting on the ground like Swainson's hawks and pouncing on 
voles that pop up in front of them. All in all, it's quite a sight.

-- Ron Wolf
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