[birding] Finley Full House

[Molly Monroe]

I was out on the prairie doing some last minute rain free reed canary grass mowing yesterday and had some great highlights throughout the day. 

 

At one time, I saw three White-tailed Kites (two teamed up on a perched red-tailed hawk forcing it to move on to another spot) and then was thrilled to see two SHORT-EARED OWLS fly in from the east and circle around north prairie and where I was mowing in M-dikes. One of the owls perched on a post and let me drive the tractor close enough to get a decent picture. Goes to show that vehicles (even big noisy ones) make good blinds because I doubt that bird would have sat there if I tried approaching it on foot.

 

I also mowed a bit in our interior restoration field and flushed another Short-eared Owl out into a burned section of the field. Lots of owl sign around on the ground as well. The elk were moving out into South prairie in the late afternoon, I had a friend call to tell me they could see them from 99W. His drive by estimate was 60-75. Nice to have the train cars out of the way!

 

This morning, we have bluebirds perched on cars and the office (one sat on the blue goose weather vane, great spot!) and I also just heard a black phoebe from my office. As I went out to find it, it flew from the top of the building to a tractor over by the shop. Acorn Woodpeckers are busy moving back and forth storing up for winter. Not a bad couple of days of incidental birding...

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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