[birding] Finley prairie sightings (repeat)

[Molly Monroe]

Thought I'd try sending this again, but without attachment. It came through fine on my email but not on Jarod's (he got the attachment and not the message), so sorry for the repeat. Saw two more Red-shouldered Hawks yesterday, one being mobbed by a female harrier. Also saved a beauty of a garden spider, will post a picture of it on the mid-valley nature google site. 

 

Previous message:
I started mowing fire lanes on the Resource Natural Area yesterday and will be doing more of the same today. Wanted to let folks know that this is a great chance to get out and around the prairie after lanes are mowed and before they are disced prior to burning in late September. I'm attaching the prairie map (the route between Middle prairie and M-dikes is being straightened a bit to avoid spot fires). South prairie is due to be burned this year as well as Flds 1 and 31 (native restoration sites).
Highlights seen from the tractor:
Red-shouldered hawk
White-tailed Kite
Northern Harrier
Barn Owl (flushed from N Prairie Rd hedgerow)
Great horned owl
Western Kingbird
Dozens of Western Meadowlark and Northern Flickers
A couple of sparrows, Savanna I think but hard to identify through dusty windows.
 
Clarkia amoena is still in bloom (appropriately named farewell-to-spring) and is a lovely pink hue contrasting the browness of blooms gone by and wispy tufted-hair grass. The mowed tarweed smells great! 
Molly~
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//"Endangered species are sensitive indicators of how we are treating the planet and we should be listening carefully to their message









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