Yesterday certainly was interesting (1 Viewer)

Yesterday I went to the North Shore to go on a bird walk. We met at the Wild Bird Center just outside of Covington at 7:30. Once everyone got there, we went to Fontainbleu state park. We heard a lot, but didn't see much since it had rained the night before; however, a blue jay, a silhouette that might have been a wren my first red headed woodpecker and either a juv. red-tailed hawk or juv. red-shouldered hawk perched on a tree branch that had fallen into the marsh.
We got back to the store at around 10:30. At 1:00 there was a speaker talking about wintering hummingbirds, and at 2:30 a falconer came and talked. The falconer brought some of his birds with him. He had a red-tailed hawk, a black vulture, a barn owl, and a Harris' hawk. We actually got to pet the vulture, owl, and Harris' hawk. The red-tailed was somewhat agressive though. One thing I found surprising was how soft the barn owl's feathers were. I wish I'd have had a camera.

Hi Kaled,

Sounds a good day!

Don't think I'd want to pet a vulture, though, sounds a good way to lose an arm!

Michael

Aw, Michael, vultures are COOL!

I got my only close-up visit with a vulture kept as an education bird several years ago. I swear he flirted with me!

Haven't seen my lifer Black Vulture yet -- although I keep trying!

Kaled, your day sounds great! And getting lifer is so much fun, isn't it? We saw at least two families of Red-headed Woodpeckers on Sunday morning, juvies and adults both, playing among themselves and having a territorial dispute with some Northern Flickers.

What Beverly! I just saw a Black Vulture yesterday. But I'll admit, that was the first one for several months.
You do see Turkey Vultures I know. You must. I see so, so many here once it starts to get cooler.