with a teeny serving of carp this evening, trying to coax Junior into flight. It worked!
American Osprey (Pandion haliaetus).
Junior is clearly not happy with the tiny portion size. Not putting up with the squawking, Mama takes flight nearly immediately.
After consuming the meager morsel, Junior exercises its wings and immediately takes flight off the platform! Godspeed!
visits the bird bath after a hot and smoky afternoon. It appears to be a youngster.
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus).
struts her stuff through the brown and tinder dry brush with her brood of four little ones (not seen in the image below).
Wild Turkey hen (Meleagris gallopavo).
to Junior in the nest this evening. Looks like it’s carp sashimi on the menu. They’re not called fish hawks for nothing!
American Osprey (Pandion haliaetus).
did not summon Mama with a delivery of fresh fish during Operation Osprey Watch this evening. Junior is just beginning to wiggle its wings and it will be a while before it’s flight capable.
American Osprey chick (Pandion haliaetus).
shortened my morning ride by about a mile.
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis).
relaxing on a log in the wetlands early this morning.
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos).
this summer as the platform nest is once again occupied, much to my delight. Mama’s housekeeping hasn’t seemed to improve in the interim. There may be a second, smaller fledge in the nest, too.
American Osprey (Pandion haliaetus).
drinking from the irrigation emitter that refills the bird bath.
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus).
these aerial scavengers are spying a dead skunk on a neighboring property.
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura).
by a mischief of Magpies occurs like clockwork every morning as they raid the feeding stations. Smart and entertaining birds, but noisy.
Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia).
is searched for elusive nuggets of grain and seed.
Lazuli Bunting (Passerina amoena).
in the front yard early this evening. Nature red in tooth and claw.
Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) enjoying dove tartare.
in red rock canyon country is Trailmater Offroad Recovery and that’s a fact. While I wasn’t in need of their rescue services today, they are conservationists at heart and promote the protection of endangered species in the high desert. So I bought a t-shirt in support of their efforts to protect the endangered Diamond-billed Rock Pecker that was hunted to near extinction due to the damage they cause by drilling holes in the surrounding sandstone.
The recovery fleet of purpose-built wreckers parked in front of the shop on US Highway 191 south of Moab: Ol’ Blue, Trailmater and Mini-Mater (left to right).
to the feeding stations and sits for its portrait.
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus).
found in a hanging dish feeder, shoveling the seed down as if it’s never eaten.
Lazuli Bunting (Passerina amoena).
and are hands down my favorites at the feeding stations this time of year. They’re arriving in greater numbers now.
Lazuli Bunting (Passerina amoena).
makes the return of this colorful bird a welcome sight around the feeding stations every spring.
Adult male Lazuli Bunting (Passerina amoena).
with steadily increasing visits to the feeders.
Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri).
yields some bird sightings in the wetlands this afternoon.
Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) on Kepple Lake.
Various waterfowl on maneuvers on Middle Pine Lake.