Little did I think, when I watched eagles fighting over a carcass on PBS Nature last night, that I'd be enjoying the same spectacle in person this morning.  Flood & Waverly continues to have orchards replacing grassland, but there's still good habitat for our wintering raptors.

I started out at Rt 4 and south Waverly, and fairly quickly flushed a Prairie Falcon (which obligingly showed its dark axillaries) and then admired a foraging Ferruginous Hawk. Redtails and one Kestrel were also already active;at 35 degrees when I first arrived, I was rather surprised to see this much activity from the get-go. As I headed closer to the intersection with Flood, I found another Prairie Falcon (another adult), and another Ferrugi.  Then, on Flood, I noticed a large eagle-like bird in the distance to the north.  Getting out of the car, I flushed a Burrowing Owl I hadn't noticed.  And indeed, to the north I was pleased to spot four Bald Eagles: one juvenile, one third-year, and two adults.  They were taking turns and squabbling with each other, and with a large number of Ravens, at what appeared to be a cow carcass. 

On my way east on Flood, a bird on a low fencepost turned out to be a very blotchy juvenile Prairie Falcon, my third of the morning.  In the car, I was able to get within 30 feet for marvelous views.  (Unfortunately, while I'd remembered to bring my camera, the battery was dead.  Hey, nothing's perfect.)  I also enjoyed a briskly trotting Coyote around this time. 

The final raptor highlight came when I was heading north again on Waverly:  The juvenile eagle flew over and displaced a Ferruginous Hawk from a fencepost.  Ferruginous Hawks are big, but the eagle made it look small!

Happy Thanksgiving,

Susan

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