Raptors, raptors everywhere.*
I stopped by the ponds to see if the Crested Caracaras were still there. They were.
I knew the rain from the week should have impacted these ponds - they were refreshed, but certainly not recovered. Still two trips disclosed some lovely birds.
This morning I saw a Great Blue Heron, Mourning doves and feral pigeons. The Cresta Caracaras were still perched in the tree. One Black Vulture was in the dead tree I have photographed so often. A Red Shouldered Hawk flew low over the road and then into the hay field. A Merlin** perched on the high wires at near the first ponds. And, of course, the Neotropic Cormorant kept guard in the turtle pond.
By the afternoon a Great Egret joined the heron in the far pond, the caracaras were off, and a couple more vultures circled the area. Most surprising was that the dead tree had broken. Part fell inside the fence and part fell on the road.
It was sad to see this spot the birds so love (to get a good view, I imagine) broken and littering the ground. We had already watched trees fall into the ponds over the spring and summer. I suppose we counted three or four down in just the few months we have been monitoring the area. We were surprised to see so much change in such a short time.
NOTES:
*Birds of prey, also known as raptors - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_of_prey
**https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Merlin/id
Another few photos of birds and the dead tree. These are taken from the other side, but show limbs that once supported many a bird.
I stopped by the ponds to see if the Crested Caracaras were still there. They were.
I knew the rain from the week should have impacted these ponds - they were refreshed, but certainly not recovered. Still two trips disclosed some lovely birds.
 |
| I knew this would be too far, but I wanted to at least get the white at the edge of this far pond. I haven't seen a Great Egret here in about two weeks. The heron is at the far right - just a blur. |
This morning I saw a Great Blue Heron, Mourning doves and feral pigeons. The Cresta Caracaras were still perched in the tree. One Black Vulture was in the dead tree I have photographed so often. A Red Shouldered Hawk flew low over the road and then into the hay field. A Merlin** perched on the high wires at near the first ponds. And, of course, the Neotropic Cormorant kept guard in the turtle pond.
 |
| A vulture on the dead tree. This would be the last bird I would see perch on this limb. [I lightened the photo a bit for a view of the entire trunk.] |
By the afternoon a Great Egret joined the heron in the far pond, the caracaras were off, and a couple more vultures circled the area. Most surprising was that the dead tree had broken. Part fell inside the fence and part fell on the road.
 |
| Two big limbs broke. [That is a dragonfly, not a helicopter. Just got lucky with this photo.] |
It was sad to see this spot the birds so love (to get a good view, I imagine) broken and littering the ground. We had already watched trees fall into the ponds over the spring and summer. I suppose we counted three or four down in just the few months we have been monitoring the area. We were surprised to see so much change in such a short time.
NOTES:
*Birds of prey, also known as raptors - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_of_prey
**https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Merlin/id
Another few photos of birds and the dead tree. These are taken from the other side, but show limbs that once supported many a bird.
 |
| I watched this Great Egret fly up to join this grackle. |
 |
| I like the photo of the egret alone a little better. |
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