Bears will be coming out of hibernation any day. It’s time to keep a close eye on the bird feeders.
The highest observation deck is what I have named “The Raptor Roost.” That is where I normally watch migration from. This season has been quite slow so far with Red-tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle, Golden Eagle and Merlin. There’s a lot more to come. The following photos are from 7 April 2012, ten years ago.
I really like dark-morph Rough-legged Hawks. I never hesitate to photograph another when overhead. In a typical spring (whatever that is) I see 50-100 roughies, about 10-15% are dark birds.
Red-shouldered Hawks are always a treat this far north. I usually see a few every spring.
Red-tailed Hawks are common all spring, usually reaching over 300 a day at the peak flight!
A dark-morph Red-tailed Hawk is always special. These can be either melanistic eastern birds, or dark western vagrants.
This year with the lack of many migrants so far we are spending more time with plants of the snow slowly melts away. Wintergreen is always one of the first to appear.
Trailing arbutus “should” be flowering by the end of the month. Twin-flower (Linnea borealis, a favorite of Linnaeus who named the genus for himself) will be blooming in May and June.
A distant Bald Eagle (5th-year, almost full adult plumage) heading north.
Merlin checking out the scenery.
Common Redpolls feeding on the ground below the feeders.
Common Redpoll at the feeder on the deck.
More tomorrow…
Michael's Place 