Bird Watching!

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Any of you guys know any thing about Ring Tailed Hawks?

After seeing that Prairie Falcon I got to thinking about he myriad birds I see in a day.

I wanted to look up the Ring Tail, but that is apparently not what they are called.

Closest I could find was a Broad Wing Hawk, but the tail did not look right. Bird I am thinking about had just one very distinct white band on the tail, pretty close to the body.
 
Rough legged hawk Buteo lagopus was the first one I thought of, but marsh hawk Circus cyaneus would fit the description as well.

Those are the only two I can think of, that are found up your way.

Both are transglobal species BTW, we have them here as well.
 
Birds are coming alive in these parts, or atleast returning. Tons of air donkeys flapping about.

I saw my first robin yesterday in my yard.

I've got frigging magpies trying to nest in my yard. No thanks, ill pester them with pellets until they move along.

Also been seeing some owl action at dusk. I love the hooters. :D
 
I won't touch the hooter comment Justin! I think barred owls are super cool. They're pretty easy to call in and help make the turkeys gobble this time of year.
 
Lotta birds arriving here too in the past 2 weeks. I'm thinking, why do these guys even bother flying north for the winter, they're back here now and there is snow everywhere, mornings are in the teens or mid twenties, in other words its hard living outside, and yet they are here, doing their early morning calling and acting like all is well even though its cold AF
 
Hahaha! Good question!

Another good thread here that I never click on. I need to up my bird game:/:
 
It's about this time of year I look out for the first swallow. It's kind of a big deal for me.
Here's last year's, April the 1st. (Taken on an iPhone)
 

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I thought so also. I wait for them to come back and watch for them closely. A few come back first and they aren't very obvious if you don't watch for them.

They are coming and leaving 2 weeks earlier than they did 15-20 years ago.
 
We have what we call swallows hirondo rustica.

The similar species are called house martins Delichon urbicum.

Swallows nest inside buildings, martins under the eaves outside.
 
I bet the early ones come back ahead of time to stake claim to the best nests.

I find it entertaining that Mom and the young ones head South and a group stays behind. I can picture them saying go ahead- we will meet you down there- You guys travel way to slow for us.
 
M and I spent several hours on a National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Washington state, near the Columbia River, a couple of days ago. You know, the sort of place some people think should be returned from public lands status to private development potential...well, anyway:).

Saw some Tundra (Whistling) swans, lots of geese, bald eagles, a variety of ducks, harriers and a couple other species of hawks, and several different warblers. Nice day.
 
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