Birbs

Merlin

The funeral was small but beautiful with a few old friends and at least one new one....the sweet pastor who performed the service. We were very taken with her words of spiritual comfort and kind demeanor.

Then we took a short birding run to clear our minds and feel normal for a few...

Canada Geese foraging in an Amish stack yard

Along the way we found the beautiful Merlin Falcon above, shuddering in the wind at the top of a tree, as he hunted a cloud of Snow Buntings. Merlins are little guys, midway between Kestrels...Sparrow Hawks in the vernacular...and Peregrine Falcons. I only saw two last year, both at great distance, so this one was a thrill.

Alan sent me this Western Grebe

It's been a hard week for all concerned. Ralph and I have found comfort in these short birding runs. Kinda took our minds off things, you know. Through driving snow and howling winds we watched an immature Bald Eagle pursuing a Ring-billed Gull one evening. 

You would not imagine that so gigantic a bird could swoop and spin and duck and dive as he did....and still miss.

And this Scrub Jay

What a show!

Snowy Bald Eagle after defeat at the wings of a Ring-billed Gull

The birds of the far north are still here. Hundreds of Slate-colored Juncos. Snow Buntings flashing white-and-black like winter traffic signals. Horned Larks, drab as the Buntings are bright, but still cool to see along the shoulders of the back roads.

To add to all this the kids on the left coast sent me 51 photos of lovely western birds I may never see in person. Gratitude abounds! Such beauty and all free for the enjoying.