Afternoon in the Life of a Red-tail

 Found a young local red-tailed hawk.  In the span of about 30 minutes, he hunted (unsuccessfully) on the ground; flew up to a tree when a dog went by; scratched an itch; groomed; hung out; and decided the pine tree was better to sit in than the one he started with.

What's Less Than Six Grams and Cuter Than You?

 The title of the post isn't a slight to anyone.  It's just tough to find something with the cute factor this high.  And are they fast!  Those Ruby-crowned kinglets were pretty busy in the pine tree yesterday.  You can see the ruby crown in the third photo.

Fabulous Fox Sparrows

This was a great bird to encounter today banding.  Did not know they were passing through town yet.  He had an asymmetrical molt in his tail.

Young Northern Shrike

What a treat to see this young northern shrike hunt in a local area today. Might be the last day to do any birding in decent temps with sun and no snow of the year.

Butter Butt

Slate colored junco

Fall banding - if it's hot, it's hot!  Had 10 species yesterday for banding at public program.  The yellow-rumped (aka Butter Butts) are still moving through.  The juncos are just arriving.

When I was setting nets with another volunteer, the audacious bluebirds actually perched on one set pole, and brought friends to sit in a dogwood and point and laugh.  We did end up getting two of them - in another net.  What pretty things they are.  Both were hatch year males.  

EABL1

EABL1

EABL 1

EABL2

Broad-winged Hawk

I did a release of a Broad-winged Hawk recently at a park here in the metro area.  The TRC clinic did an amazing job of rehabilitation on this bird, and now she will head south for her first fall migration.  She sat for quite a bit in a tree, and blended in very well!  Chickadees did not even know she was there. You can see her band, too.

WAVI and WPWA

Warbling vireo

I started this post with an eye catcher for the title.  The two species of warbler are a warbling vireo and a western palm warbler.

western palm warbler

Peregrine Falcon

I was lucky enough to be volunteering at Hawk Ridge this past season when not one but two adult peregrine falcons were banded.  This female was really breathtaking.  She was released at the overlook.

Broad-winged hawk

Young broad-winged hawk in these photos.  There is usually just a few week window to see this species migrate through the area to South American wintering grounds. Look at the young tail - the adult will have short black "stripes" in between more broad white "stripes."

American kestrel

Fierce for their size, kestrels like this male are always a treat to have in hand.