The burrowing owl at the right is not the burrowing owl I saw on my lunchtime walk today at Journal Center. All I had was a cell phone camera, and I thought you'd be better served with Journal photographer Eddie Moore's lovely owl from out by the Santa Fe airport. Plus, I've got no way (at least that I can understand) to get the picture out of this danged new cell phone right now. You'll just have to take my word for the fact that I saw a pair out by the AMAFCA flood control pond at the end of North Pino Arroyo.

One of the owls took flight, landing 50 meters away, while the second hopped up on a post, glared at me (do birds glare) and squawked, as if I it was less pleased with the encounter than I.

It was a great day for a bird walk, with western kingbirds bug-hunting from the power lines, an enormous squadron of mourning doves in the bushes around the pond, and the usual red-winged blackbirds flitting about the cattails growing in the pond.

A map of the burrowing owl sighting spot if you're inclined to go give it a look.