Another Sonora Perch

On my metal Raven sculpture, just for a minute, watching it snow.

Digging Out From a Couple Feet of Snow

Winter Storm Warning

Sonora the Aplomado preening on her house plant perch, waiting out the current storm, absolutely dumping now and Blizzard Warning for the Bitterroot. Inside the house tonight.

What a Look...

Backcountry Horseman

Last night, we presented at the annual gathering for Horsepacking People, and some history there. In my handwritten-on-yellow-lined-paper program records:
20 Jan 1989/ Backcountry Horsemen of Missoula/ Mike Chandler/ 80 adults, 20 children
Lo and behold Mike Chandler was in attendance, along with pal Smoke Elser and several others that were there in the United Methodist Church 30 years ago! Smoke is a Conservation Hero, instrumental in creating and promoting eco-friendly, low impact horse packing. He has won scads of awards, plus induction in the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame, and Missoula Conservation Roundtable's Lifetime Conservation Award (hey- I won that too in 2017, at Smoke's home!)

Fridays at Le 'Bowl

Skiing almost 30 years with Kim Thomas, close to 20 with Tyler Roady, and yesterday they were showing off their telemark skills. We sure have some laughs.

C-C-C- Cold!

Birds in the house and about 8 below zero right now. Warming up!
And a kestrel yesterday, who probably spotted a mouse.

Leadership Bitterroot

Finally some nice, sunny weather for our tour for Leadership Bitterroot, guests gathered by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. I shoveled a path to the eagle building the night before, then ran out of energy, so here are the guests post-holing it to see Nigel and Sonny. Sorry about the several of you in sneakers....you were warned! I live in my muck boots this time of year.

Six Months Apart

Top is August, Mookie and the puppy. Then yesterday, growing Nico on the right.  Thanks Mike DeNeve for the plowing jobs, quite a few this year!

Meadows at Snowbowl

Yesterday looking south from the middle of the Meadows.

And Simon inside (yes, a newspaper below the perch, always, for those of you that asked.)

This Morning

Our dogs, hawk sculpture, yard and SNOW.
And the snow report from Snowbowl Ski Area, heading up right now.

Look! 5 1/2 feet of freshies on Tuesday!

Simon Watching the Blizzard Tonight

Goodbye Evita

Our dark morph Swainson's Hawk had to be euthanized, a very difficult task but had to be done. She had lingering beak problems and somehow broke her lower mandible over the weekend. At 15 years of age, she was a wonderful educator here at the Raptor Ranch. Evita decided "no travel crates for me" a long time ago, and at least skipped that migrating-to-Argentina-and-back thing. That's how she got her name, "Don't cry for me Argentina." She is missed, and a cry for her.

Nico

It quit snowing, and my metal bird sculptures in the yard with Nico the Dog, who would never chew up anything in the house...

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrines were placed on the U.S. Endangered Species List in 1970,  absent east of the Mississippi and practically gone in the west, a fraction of former numbers. After the banning of DDT in the U.S. in 1972 and reintroduction of 7000 captive-bred birds in North America, they are back.  The continental subspecies was delisted in 1999 at a gala ceremony at The Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise. Many believe that Peregrine numbers are higher now that pre-DDT, a conservation sensation in just thirty years, and we can largely thank Tom Cade.

Farewell To Tom Cade

What a loss, and at the same time the greatest triumph a person could have in a lifetime, Tom Cade’s heart and soul. He is my All-time Greatest Hero and I told him that every time I’d see him. He’d blush, I swear. He is the founder of The Peregrine Fund and crucial in the de-listing of Peregrines as an endangered species. Tom wrote in my copy of his 2018 memoir, "With my everlasting thanks for your generous permission to decorate the front cover of this book with my favorite photo of my deceased gyr,  Kumpan and me," taken when we met in 2008. He invited me to The Peregrine Fund after receiving a copy of our Falcons of North America book, and I jumped in the Subaru and off to Boise! Tom just passed peacefully at the age of 91, missed by all in the conservation and raptor world.

Retriever

Ever lose one of your most helpful devices for the ice, a Snow Trax, right off the sole of your boot out there somewhere? Labrador Retriever today, thanks Nico, and thought I had to wait until the big thaw. And a kestrel today.

Auction Night

What a gala event, the 47th Annual Missoula Art Museum Auction and what a ball. Pal Bev Beck Glueckert is standing in front of our two pieces, as if the Osprey could perch on her index finger, hers the Turkey Vulture print. Then a group shot with me, Bart, my sister Betsy, with Bev and the finest dressed gal in the room, Jenny O! We'll have to see the final bids in that Silent Auction, and hope they broke all records, MAM - Free Expression and Admission.