Happy Turkey Day!

From my book Birds Are People, Too and "It's a riot!" says musician/entertainer/star Bill Harley.

"Our" Eagles

These friends sure are hanging at the nest tree a lot lately, even bringing in sticks. This year was the earliest she began incubation - March 4th. Previous record was 2017 won March 5th!
 

Today and Help?

Friends, just got these guys down at the river and hoped for some help. We could use two things: Newspapers to place under the bird perches when they are inside in the cold weather AND perhaps some oldish game meat -elk, deer, bear anything to feed the eagles and hawk. Please let me know at raptors@montana.com. Can pick up or you come over and meet our Teaching Team Birds!  THANKS!

Five Minutes Ago

 

Sundays Are for Artwork

Painting the Pygmy-Owl etchings, edition of 5. It always takes me a day to figure out the painting and drawing on the print, then try to remember how I did that for the other four.

Our Homing Pigeons Today

 

Today's Etching!

 

Portia

Our beloved Barred Owl, and what a name - Bard of Avon is William Shakespeare, perhaps best play "Merchant of Venice," and the wonderful female heroine Portia.  I know...kind of a stretch, and bard means poet.

Feather Feet

Bald Eagle stretching at the river and feathers on his foot so maybe just ate a duck? At that nest by Bonner that was the topic for my 2013 book, I even saw them bringing in starlings and pigeons!

ps: Just now, Sunday morning, she has been in the nest and he just brought in a big stick. Housekeeping. It is photoperiod that mimics spring that causes birds to briefly revisit nesting behavior.

Answer

Trumpeter Swans, telltale beak and a tough one, sorry!

 

Swans

Always a trick telling them apart, so what are these, Tundra or Trumpeter Swans, at Metcalf Refuge? By the Coot.

Daily Dog Walk

This from last February, sent to my pal Steve Watson in the UK.  I am so chuffed!   Apparently this is the hip word, chuff.  Steve informed me: 'Chuffed' is a word that's old but is in new vogue of late. It used to be a word synonymous with 'rather pleased' but it's now morphed into a cooler word meaning 'thrilled to bits.' That's us, thanks Steve and see an eagle in this photo on the left in the cottonwood?

What a Great Investment

Our wood splitter Black Diamond from Murdoch's a few years ago, and have a log pile to saw and split. That pile behind Tom has been filled up to the roof, 4 deep in split wood every fall. Some of these chunks today were from 2003, gotta love the larch and Douglas fir!

Taiga the Rough-legged Hawk

Our new hawk, Taiga was a youngster and a car collision victim in the spring near Great Falls, a migrant from the tundra and taiga of the far north and now on our Teaching Team. A sweetie and bum wing but comfortable in her new surroundings.

Raptor Round-Up #63!

 I can't believe I could write three of these a year...now one big 8-page issue in November. Thanks Minuteman Press of Missoula! Just mailed 100, another 100 and thanks Raptor Backers everywhere.            https://www.raptorsoftherockies.org/main.asp?id=newsletter