(a bald eagle in flight being watched by a raven and some magpies)
Today was our area's annual Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count so I thought I'd post some of the pictures I took while we were out and about.
(not far from our house, looking toward the foothills)
(another adult bald eagle in flight near Tunnel Hill)
(looking away from the mountains)
(an immature bald eagle too hungry to care about us.)
(just a horse)
~Our tally~
4 mallards
4 Bald Eagles
2 Rough Legged Hawks
3 Golden Eagles (fighting over a carcass)
4 Ring Necked Pheasants
59 wild turkey
1 Hairy Woodpecker
23 Magpies
7 Crows
1 Raven
12 Black Capped Chickadees
2 Mountain Chickadees
3 Red-Breasted Nuthatches
2 White-Breasted Nuthatches
29 Juncos
&
1 Pine Siskin
8 comments:
I'm amazed at the birds in your area.
We've only seen a bald eagle twice in(upper Michigan.) It was almost spiritual when we did see them.
Oh and I saw my first owl late last summer. I was so excited!!!
Strangely we don't have the great cardinals and blue jays like you do. I miss those. I think my favorites in this region are the magpies, which are everywhere, and the occasional grey jay which I've only seen up in the mountains twice.
We spent a year in Arkansas where they have whippoorwills which are really cool to listen to in the evening.
Okay, so now I'm thinking about your Mom and her paintings. I imagine her surrounded and guided by birds...
I know this post is about the bird count, but I can't pull myself out of the hills and blue sky. I could sit and take that in all day (with some serious thermal gear, I imagine). The Red Hawks in our area have made such a come back that they have moved into the neighborhood to pick off squirrels and smaller birds. We had to stop feeding our squirrel friends because one became dinner for a hawk after pausing to munch a peanut in the open.
Hey Tara!
I know what you mean about the sky. Our first time here I put Kate Bush's recording of Big Sky in the tape deck while we crossed the state line. There is something about all of the emptiness that I find really soothing, spiritually, psychologically, and physically.
Wow - great list! And so much beautiful landscape to see. Ahhhh.
Those photos are gorgeous and my favorite is the horsein the snow, beautiful. I always love to see bird photos and the eagle flying across..wow, cool...
Beautiful area..Hope you show more some day..
Dear Sharon, So nice to come across your blog. Your home is breathtaking. We traveled many states last year and didn't come across any bears or moose, the children were hoping to see some - Sania is a moose lover. Your home is full of wildlife. The only thing that is really wild here in DR are the mongoose that they introduced here to kill snakes and the mongoose ended up being more of a menace eating poultry/ducks...oh and those creepy tarantulas, they to are beautiful.
I'm so glad you've stopped by. I love your blog! Strange about the D.R., In my mind I imagine it to be a wild tropical paradise. Fantasy aside, I guess it makes sense that the wildlife on an island would be somewhat limited. I imagine the birds and vegetation are fantastic though!
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