WHERE TO SEE BIRDS: California’s Central Valley The Central Valley of California is a great spot for overwintering waterfowl. It has also been making the Snow Geese – Gary Zahm, USFWS news a lot lately as the drought there has reached epic proportions, and it’s not just farmers who are affected. About 60 percent of […]
Blog Category: birds of prey
Watch Ospery Migration Live Online
Watch Osprey Migration Live Online! Compared to other birds of prey, Ospreys start their migration south early. Ospreys cannot tolerate cold weather and they start their trek to warmer climes in August before temperatures start to drop. In recent years scientists have been attaching transmitters to Ospreys, enabling them to track their movements in real […]
Where to Watch Spring Hawk Migration Spring migration is much different than fall. In the spring, birds have a mission — to get to their breeding grounds on time for the best nesting spot and be there when there is the most food. Breeding drives spring migration, which tends to be shorter than its fall […]
Big Big Bald Eagle Nests
Big Big Bald Eagle Nests Bald Eagles are the largest raptor in North America and are seen throughout the continental US, Canada and Alaska. With a wingspan of over 7 feet, everything about this bird is oversized. From a lifespan over several decades to their overall size of up to 14 pounds for females in […]
Snowy Owls and Airports
IN THE NEWS: Snowy Owls and Airports Snowy owls are coming into the US in record numbers this year, and are being seen as far south as South Carolina! If you enjoyed reading about the current irruption of Snowy owls last month in our newsletter, you might be interested in this news story. Snowy owls like […]
Owls in Mythology – Wise or Sinister?
Owls in Mythology – Wise or Sinister? Owls capture our imagination. Their silent nighttime stealth and unusual lifestyle has made them the stuff of folklore since ancient times. Many cultures revere the owl as a symbol of wisdom, protection and prophecy, while others see them as harbingers of death and as bad omens. Owls first […]
Making Tracks with Ospreys
Making Tracks With Ospreys Ospreys are the second most widespread raptor in the world — second only to Red-Tailed hawks. Colloquially known as the Fish Hawk, Osprey make their annual southbound journey each year starting as early as August. This fall, Ospreys have been counted again in the thousands migrating through some of the biggest migration […]
Helping Injured Hawks – My Own Story
Hawks and eagles are top predators. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have challenges — most of which come from humans. From hitting power lines and being injured or killed in windfarms while hunting birds to being hit by cars, shot (often intentionally) and poisoned, raptors needs our help – even more than most other […]
Peregrine on the Beach
Why do Peregrine falcons sitting on the beach seem so unnatural to me? Seeing them soaring over the city or swooping over flocks of shorebirds on migration is how I think of them. Their drives into flocks of shorebirds create changing elliptical masses of birds intent on confusing their attacker. The shapes the shorebird flocks […]