Growing Birds

These nestlings are awaiting the delivery of yet another Canada Goose gosling, and just parts. Last week we identified by careful zooms on these photos that they enjoyed several Columbian Ground Squirrels and at least one Eastern Fox Squirrel, amazing. Theft from other raptors as they are so prone, or hunting mammals for themselves? Beats me, and stay tuned. Four babies in this nest, and one was hiding in this shot.

APEC Conference and 600.1 Miles!

Just back from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference at Big Sky near Yellowstone Park, and a photo of the Subaru at dawn with Nigel the eagle and Jillian the owl in the back. We had a great visit, with hundreds of photos of the 175 attendees from 21 countries with our ambassador bird mostly taken from little cameras as big as a pack of playing cards. Our emcee and I have a few friends in common in the raptor world, as he was involved in reintroduction of Bald Eagles in California, and one man was convinced he had seen me on The Tonight Show with Jay Lenno. You bet, that was me, wearing a dress. Ha!

Snipe Really Do Exist

I pointed out a flying Wilson's Snipe (earlier I said Common, but those are the European variety, I just found) to some visitors this week, and they were surprised to learn that there really is such a thing. Apparently one of our friends was tricked into "snipe hunts" as a kid, pointless ventures into the night with a sack, a practical joke played on all kids. This was a male snipe performing an elaborate flight display marking his territory, flying high and plunging toward the ground. Special muscles fan out his tail feathers which vibrate and make a beautiful winnowing sound. Instead of the typical 12 tail feathers of other birds including sandpipers, snipe have 14 or 16 depending on subspecies. They must have a nest in the grass near the house, and this guy displays well past dark.

Today's Deliveries

These Bald Eagles are confounding us with food for the nestlings. What does that look like? Yep, a duck head. These kids had an entirely avian diet in the three hours that Carmen Bassin and I spent at the nest today, Mother's Day for the youngsters with feathers again flying. The last delivery was another Canada Goose gosling, and the nearby golf course must salute the heroics of the eagles for picking off a problem bird on the links. Or maybe not...

What Is He/She Bringing in Now?

Another morning at our local Bald Eagle nest and a surprise prey delivery. We think of these birds as fish specialists this time of year, but a pigeon! Feathers were flying and a quick drop off for one nestling in particular, then the adult made a bee-line up river to return a half hour later with a - get this - Canada Goose gosling. So an avian diet today and beats me how they caught a pigeon. Even our Peregrine can't catch the ones we have to train her in the fall.

Woodman Rules!

Just back from a program at Woodman School, up Lolo Creek, Highway 12 a bit, and what fun. These kids are so into the out-of-doors with 4-H projects and bluebird boxes everywhere. Maybe that wasn't a good idea to install a Kestrel nesting box right there, oh well. A good friend of ours attended that school a while back and told us, "When I was in the first grade there was no eighth grade and when I was in the second grade there was no first grade. All eight grades in one room. And at recess all eight grades played together so you could have two baseball teams." This school was built in 1892, so the joke is that maybe my friend and I could have been there when Lewis and Clark passed through. It's on the Historic Trail!

Shot 'O the (Yester)Day

This is definitely my favorite lately, the male Bald Eagle bring in a fish to a nest on the Clark Fork River, the youngster and mom ready to chow down. Thanks to photographer and friend John Salisbury for helping me get the colors right on this one! It will be featured in a show called BirdFest 2011 at the Artists' Shop on Higgins, downtown Missoula for next month. Bird art in many mediums by a myriad of talents will be featured. Several photos from our new book "Raptors of the West" are included and even a book signing for First Friday in June.

Clark Fork School Kids are Cool

After a bunch of assemblies for schools lately, we enjoyed a small gathering yesterday for the kids at Clark Fork School in Missoula. Friend Charlotte Beatty invited us to talk to the kindergarten through 2nd grade, and Sibley the Peregrine began the discussion with how she came to be an educator. I showed the little film of her time from baby in the play pen in the living room to an adult flying in a TV program chasing ducks. iPod the Pygmy-Owl was in attendance, the fairly recent addition to the teaching team and a favorite already (of course.) These children are very bird savvy, two of them arguing the merits of the Peterson versus Sibley Field Guides, no kidding. I think at that age I was discussing "Speed Racer" versus "Lost In Space." HA!

More Ospreys!

Thanks to brilliant work by many folks, the Osprey Web Cams are up LIVE:

Peregrine Occupancy, What a Day

Starting in the morning, Carmen Bassin and I made the hike up to One Horse Creek, and after an hour found the two Peregrines that are holding that territory high above the valley for the second year running. We saw them flying, perching on snags on the top at the horizon, and thanks to landowner Bob Tabke for access. YES! Occupancy, and the furthest north Peregrines in the Bitterroot. We even spotted one of the Prairie Falcons that have been nesting down lower in the drainage. After that, we had no luck at Carlton Creek nearby, but in the last eight years, I never have seen a Peregrine advertising that they are nesting there. Some day. Then we saw the Ospreys at Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge with the two parents on the relocated platform, and this Canada Goose incubating eggs in the background. All those little goslings will hatch nearly at once, bail of of the tree, find the water below, and disappear. Often, Ospreys will take over the nest once the geese have split the scene, so those of you with honkers at your house, take heart. You might still get some Ospreys soon!

Amazing New Peregrine Territory

Jay Sumner, Director of the Montana Peregrine Institute has said for years, "Some day Peregrines will nest here..." and we would take a brief look at this gravel pit in Clinton. Last week he again stopped to take a peek and to his amazement, two Peregrines were cruising the cliff face, landing on the rocks and snags, and even mating before our very eyes. That's what we would call occupied. I lived right across the highway from this eyesore for 13 years, never thinking I would grow to love it as the site of a Peregrine eyrie! Carmen Bassin and I watched the pair yesterday in between snow squalls, and we are hooked. We can only guess where the birds will set up shop. They may be the offspring from one of the Blackfoot nests or the one near Drummond, and are a very welcome addition to the list of new Peregrine nests in Montana. And we owe Jay for his discovery!

Riverside Ospreys Back With a Flourish

Our favorite Osprey nest is occupied again, and the male has been in the area for a few weeks. Finally the female joined him yesterday and the whole reunion has been captured on the web cam. With NorthWestern Energy, we erected an Osprey platform five years ago at Riverside Health Care. The birds have been using it the last three, and two with a camera mounted above. This year, Tammy Talley, Director at Riverside has made sure that a top-notch system was put in place, along with Heiko Langner of the University's Environmental Chemistry Lab who heads up "Project Osprey." We bought a high definition television yesterday, a deal from Vann's in Hamilton, and now we will have all of the action live for the Riverside residents, and on the web site. SOON! Here, the male is delivering a stick. Females are the ones that often have the "necklace" of darker feathers across the breast, but this male sports that plumage pattern. Plus we know it's the male, as we have witnessed several, well, matings.

New Raptor Round-Up- Read It Now

Everyone should have it in their mail boxes by Monday or Tuesday, but the three-times-a-year newsletter always looks better in color. I am making many of the new photos that appear in this issue into note cards, and my new favorite is the kestrel on the cover. My favorite story is "A Big Bald Eagle With a History" on page 3 with photos from 1986 of that eagle we rehabbed and released, right after she was trapped and fit with the radio transmitter. Check it out! Raptor Round-Up 37

A Very Sad Friday

After a long life as an educator and inspiration to tens of thousands of children and adults, Buster the Northern Saw-whet Owl has passed of what we think could have been a heart attack; quietly eating a mouse and five minutes later dead. He joined us in 1999 as a youngster with a wing droop, and became a program favorite instantly, nearly always on his best behavior. He was also very vocal, with his whistling call lasting long hours into the night. He is already missed by the Davis's as we reflect on all of the reactions by audiences over the years, upon seeing such a "cute" little predator. He was with us for twelve happy years and a true star.