Burrowing Owl Habitat Added

Source: "Use of Artificial Burrows
by Burrowing Owls, Dept of Engergy"

Source: U.S. Dept of Energy,
Sept, 2005

While the Tierra  Laja crew were working on the bond beam, we took advantage of the hole left where they mined our dirt for more adobe blocks and installed a Burrowing Owl Habitat.  The design came from an article written about a project in the Richland, WA area where over 22 similar Owl homes were installed with great success.  The Burrowing Owl has a habit of taking over abandoned gopher holes so if you can provide something that resembles a gopher hole they tend to move in.  It was very simple.  At the bottom of the 4' hole we set a 5-gallon bucket upside down with a 4" hole cut in it.  In this hole we attached one end of a 12' perforated flexible 4" drain pipe.  The other end of the drain pipe was angled up to the surface with 90° turn about half way.  Hopefully, a family of owls will move in before too long.