December 20th, 2013

At the end of the day yesterday, I went down to fill the bird feeder at the far end of the property.  With the approaching weather conditions, I thought I would keep it full for them.  I had seen some  Wild Turkeys feeding beneath it over the last few days (30+ at a time), so I brought my camera to see if I could get any shots of them.  When I got to the feeder everything was pretty quiet.  There were 2 Dark-eyed Juncos, 2 Red-breasted and 2 White-breasted Nuthatches, and 4 or 5 Black-capped Chickadees… no Wild Turkeys.  I actually thought that it seemed quiet considering the forecast for the next day.  A couple of minutes later I was hanging the feeder back up and there was a frantic thrashing in the tree behind me.  I turned around in time to see an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk chasing one of the juncos – I think it got away.  As I turned to walk back up to the building I saw a big bird flying high overhead…  Bald Eagle!

After taking a couple of documentation shots I put my camera down, only to pick it right back up as a Red-tailed Hawk flew low over the tree-tops!

And if that was not enough, as I began walking back to the building I heard a large murder of crows making a lot of ‘noise’.  Going towards the uproar I found a Great Horned Owl!  I took a couple of photos before leaving it to do its thing – finding a mate and keeping other males from its territory.  The Great Horned Owl was the only expected bird species that I had left to detect on the property for 2013…  now at a record-setting 116 species!

As I began putting my things in the car I looked up at the edge of the parking lot to see a Rough-legged Hawk flying away.  I must have frightened it with the closing of the car doors.  All in all, a great number of birds of prey in a very short period of time… but no Wild Turkeys : )