Eagle Bath

 Flew off the nest and landed right in front of me, what a show!

GBHeron Day

Lucky shots of the Great Blue Heron at the slough yesterday and almost didn't bring my camera with the light rain. She wouldn't fly as the eagles were right overhead! Weird, the eagles are settled in the nest as if incubating, then flying around and perched in the neighbor all day. Bet we don't have offspring this year. Want to place bets?

Raven In the Yard

 Weird color in the sun, this friend was right in the yard. We counted 50+ Ravens flying over Point Six the day before, skiing at SnowBowl!

Well, It Worked!

Coming up on 3 years since the botched total knee replacement surgery and gave it a try yesterday, first time since.  I met up with pals Tyler and Kim, thanks Brad for the generosity and kindness, and off we headed...for the groomers!  Surprise and thank goodness, IT WORKED and I am now able to make right-hand turns, the left knee with problems and surgery in 1982, then tragedy with surgery in 2023. No way I was going to go through that again, and have just been dealing with the pain. Photo here by Kim Abbe Thomas in a little side trip off the top. OHHHH I am saying with Tyler in the background.

Two More Today!

 

Posers

 Back at it yesterday, nest tree, and sure wish the one on the right was incubating. We shall see...

Brand New

I had this image of Sibley and made an oil painting of her standing on a duck 16 years ago. Then got the idea to paint in acrylic and ruined the original, no can paint over oils. So this new one, started last week and 24" x 20" in acrylic on canvas. Back to etchings now.

Artistic Killdeer

 Posterized photo of our favorite shorebird in flight:

Another Yardbird

This Pileated Woodpecker seems to be pondering, "How am I going to fit in that nest?" It's the one I featured in my etching "House Wren House." 

Eagles Today!

 

Killdeer

 My favorite shorebird, and two Killdeer spent the "winter" on the river. They are starting to look a little more comfy but snow on the way.

Belted Kingfisher

 Our favorite perching bird, chasing another female kingfisher around at the slough. My new project is a big acrylic painting of Sib the Peregrine and a long story. Hopefully I will recount this saga, if the painting succeeds...we'll see, promise.

Sunday Sunset Over the Pigeon Loft

 

I Love Canada Geese, Today

 

Another Eagle

 

Sky Show Today!

 

Favorite Kingfisher

I swear it looks like she has a spider web draped from the top stick across and it's February!

Red-tail Pair

Our resident hawks put on quite a show overhead yesterday. Thanks, pals! A close look, and that's the larger female in front, male closely behind (below.)

 

Brand NEW

New drypoint etching 9" x 11" called "Yardbird" because it was a pheasant in our yard, and listening to Charlie Parker jazz when I was painting the artist's proof.

Friend

 Flew from the river to right over my head as I left the garage today, thanks!

Victor School

We had a great assembly for the kids at Victor School, k-5 and had them repeating after me, Ap-Lo-Mad-O for the star Sonora, the Aplomado Falcon. Now they all know how to say "lead-colored" in Spanish. Then a drawing class for the 4th grade. with Simon as our model, a quick sketch on the board to get them going. Fun and a bunch more programs coming up, re-visits for three libraries and Nine Mile Community Center.

Old Drawing

I was weeding out the upstairs studio today, tossing out old stuff, and had a pad of discolored paper to throw away. This pencil drawing fell to the floor, and must be from about 1980 and KITTIES! Cracks me up, and totally forgotten. 15 inches. Finding some OLD art up there every day and might have to share some more. 

Fooled Me!

Two years ago someone installed a plastic hunting decoy of a goose high up in a snag right on the road in Lee Metcalf NWRefuge (first photo.) Back at Metcalf yesterday, this Canada Goose standing on one leg remained totally motionless as I approached. The closer I got, I was convinced it was another decoy prank. Then her friend popped up behind and the "decoy" turned her head. What a laugh I had, fooled me!

New Etching

A "Young Belted Kingfisher" - a female with the chest band partly rust colored. Had to look it up, Sibley Field Guide! Drypoint etching with gouache and pencils, 10 x 8". Fun!

 

Teaser

The resident red squirrel was in the magpie tree yesterday, and have seen him do this a half dozen times, seemingly just to tease the birds. Their long-time nest is in the top of this
Ponderosa Pine that I planted 25 years ago, and four birds swooped at the squirrel who kept dodging to the other side. No reason, other than fun, I would say. Magpies nest early, but not this early.

What Month Is This?

A big flock of Cedar (not Bohemian, winter residents) Waxwings catching insects over the river. Wow. 70 degrees in parts of the state tomorrow.

"Marsh Hawk"

That's their formal title, now Northern Harrier. My favorite hawk species and I was just saying to Tom, "I wonder what happened to those harriers around here" and voila! Two appeared. This is the adult male and I found the ground nest a few years ago, pure luck.

Canada Geese

Back yard birds and quite vocal yesterday. Not "Canadian" Geese unless you know where they were hatched. Heading back down there right now!  Feeling lucky.

Eagles and Eagles

A snapshot of Nigel and Sonny in their enclosure and circled to the upper left, the current hangout of the Bald Eagle pair at the river. Nesting starts in early March, if they choose to this year. They have skipped three times since construction in 2011.

Young Sharpie

 I was on the beach photographing a huge flock of Red-winged Blackbirds up by the eagles across the river when this Sharp-shinned Hawk flew in and landed or a second or two, chasing two killdeer. Got this (terrible exposure) shot, no time to change camera settings, oh well. What a weird background color! She'll be back, maybe.

Heron Pal

 

Just Now!

 

Again Today, Chillin' On the Beach

 

Our Favorite Neighbor, Beth the Heron

 

New One - Drypoint Etching

 

Killdeer Still Here!

 

Sunday Morning, Black Sabbath

All In the Family

And parents in the nest tree, breeding first of March!

Yard-full of Eagles

Sonny and Nigel, and 4 immature Bald Eagles in the yard, parents in the nest tree.

 

Today's Shot!

 

Love To Our Avian Friends!