New Video Post

Check out the "About Page" on the Raptors of the Rockies web site for the newly-posted, old-video of Sibley flying 28 feet straight up in the Tower of Power at the University of Montana Flight lab. 5000 frames a second, captured by the BBC and a clip played at the American Museum off Natural History in New York.
Better yet, look at our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/user/raptorsrockies

Award!

A whirlwind trip to Butte, America for the Montana Chapter of the Wildlife Society Annual Conference at the Copper King. Just in time to attend poster session and the banquet to win this award! Thanks and sure saw lots and lots of old friends from all around the State. In my little acceptance speech I recounted the recent comment by a man at my program in Washington : "You could do this for a living." and I couldn't tell if he was serious.

First Day Back at the Beach!

Patriotic Harris's Hawk

Hey, Cool Harris's Hawks

Spent last weekend with Gretchen, Pat, Don and Jerry hunting with these hawks, chasing non-native Eastern Cottontails that were introduced in the Seattle area in the 1940's as game. Industrial parks with thick thorny bushes seem to be falconry on Sundays! Very much fun and quite different than the falcon hunts over water for ducks that I am used to. It's been a while since I've hunted with Harris's Hawks, three birds at once with my friend Randy Scanlon.

Harris's Hawk Hunting

Seattle?

A view out the window, and NOT Mount Rainier in Seattle. Sunday our afternoon flight made it to Missoula, circled high over the airport for an hour and headed back to Seattle. The runway was too icy we were told, at least four flights turned around and couldn't land.  We had a mile-long line at the Alaska Airlines desk, people trying to get home and many were told not until Tuesday. I had planned on feeding the birds when I got home, and thankfully Tom took care of that Monday morning. Then an afternoon flight to Portland and home by 8 pm. Thanks Gretchen and Pat for putting up with me two nights, and hawk photos next.

Skagit and Seattle

This was the greatest audience EVER for a PowerPoint Raptors of the Rockies program, and thanks Bud Anderson for the invitation and privilege. I was signing books at the finale and a man shook my hand and offered, "You should do this for a living." I couldn't tell if he was kidding. In the corner pal Ed Deal is tallying the census numbers for the morning and one group saw 127 Bald Eagles, no fair! Totals for the 100 or so hawkophiles were 706 Bald Eagles, 248 Red-tails, 128 Harriers, 32 Rough-legs, and a surprising 39 kestrels, birds that had been declining in numbers but a good showing that day. And, drum-roll please, 15 Peregrines!

Back From the Coast!

What a whirlwind, and the story of the 29th Annual Skagit Flats Raptor Survey next.
Team 4 with Head of Operations/Hero Bud Anderson just to our right of the scope. The wise-looking one.

Eagle Magnet

Look what's been hanging out here all week, waiting to be fed (won't happen.) This young Bald Eagle  may be from the nest just across the river, as every year the fledgings come and hang out in the yard for a few weeks. Max the Golden Eagle doesn't seem to mind, just a bit curious.
And off to Seattle this afternoon, a program for The Falcon Research Group, Bud Anderson in charge. Thankfully I am flying and staying with Ed Deal tonight, who is conducting the Annual Skagit Flats Hawk Census tomorrow, then my PowerPoint program for the 100 or so "hawkophiles!"This will beg fun and news on the way, cameras all packed.

Go Eagles!

Peanut The Golden Retriever!

Running like a young gazelle and rolling in the snow, with Sibley flying all over One Horse Creek this afternoon. They are both 15 years young!