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<p class=MsoNormal>Friday I went with Wayne again to McFadden’s Marsh-
and we again witnessed three eagles hunting together. They didn’t seem to
be successful this time as we watched them touch down and dig their claws into
the surface of the water but didn’t see them come up with anything. This
time they were further away so we may have missed it. The three were two juveniles
and one adult. The adult pulled out first and landed in a tree, seeming to
watch the two younger ones continue to look for something in the water at the
north end.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>When they came into the marsh, the geese were very tightly
packed together. We were trying to see if the dead goose from Wednesday’s
hunt was still there but that was impossible. The eagles helped- <a
href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4009/4450222429_e5fa41e7b8_b.jpg">http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4009/4450222429_e5fa41e7b8_b.jpg</a>
Their arrival cleared the marsh in seconds! The two hunters overhead- <a
href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2697/4450996160_f1582e411b_b.jpg">http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2697/4450996160_f1582e411b_b.jpg</a>
(We did later spot the dead goose, same spot they left it Wednesday.)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Then there were three this time, working that area at the
north end- <a
href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4449868390_f8df0dcc8a_b.jpg">http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4449868390_f8df0dcc8a_b.jpg</a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>We went down to the blind to see if we could tell what was
going on, but the action was pretty much over by then. Instead, just before the
blind and to the left we spotted a pair of bushtits apparently ‘nest
building’- <a
href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4449020683_79a9104278_b.jpg">http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4449020683_79a9104278_b.jpg</a>
the pair- <a
href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4449795378_45a0af3a31_b.jpg">http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4449795378_45a0af3a31_b.jpg</a>
and busy at work- <a
href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2801/4449021107_eb9c58ddd9_b.jpg">http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2801/4449021107_eb9c58ddd9_b.jpg</a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I saw the shrike Howard mentioned Thursday, in the deciduous
trees just behind the evergreens right in front of Bruce and Carla Rigor’s
home, the last house before Finley on the right. Some birders had told me about
it at the prairie overlook but I misunderstood where they meant and I came upon
him too fast, chasing him and his vole meal down to the end of those trees
before he took of completely. Disappointing because he was so close- and with
the vole would have been a great picture! Maybe later if he seems to like that
area. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>And thanks to Howard for bird sounds- I have one of those
hummingbirds that make that very loud, short almost popping shrill sound that I
would have NEVER believed to be a hummingbird in my front yard, almost on a
regular basis during the spring to fall. Heard him for the first time Friday.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>PS: The ospreys have returned along with the turkey vultures
now- we spotted two osprey that seemed to hunt much higher than normal- they
may be waiting for the geese to leave? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Sincerely.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Paul Rentz,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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