Raptors, migrating big game and Burrowing owls

This week was very warm with no moisture and all the migrations continue with birds and big game.
It looks like an odd pairing up with a "Harlin's" Red-tailed hawk matching up with a regular colored Red-tailed.  A Harlin's is almost black on top with light coloring showing when flying above you.

 

Its mate is a light colored, near a light-morph.  They are in the Burton area near Rexburg.

 

Here are two more Red-tails that show the different coloration of the Red-tails the migrate through the area.

 

On Tuesday last week this Bald eagle was being harassed by a pair of Kestrels near Sand Creek Ponds north of St. Anthony.

 

Also on Tuesday from St. Anthony to Sand Creek area there were 17 moose working their way across the desert.

 

Right with the moose, there were over 100 deer also migrating to the high country.  With two light winters in a row, the mule deer population is growing.  Here is one of the few bucks still wearing their head-gear.

 

A large flock of sandhill cranes joined 108 Trumpeter swans on the grain field planted and left standing for migrating birds at Sand Creek.

 

Then on Saturday I found my first Burrowing owls of the year.  There were three pair from Roberts to Hamer that had moved in since last Monday.

 

It is the wildness of Southeastern Idaho that inspires me.

Winter bathing for the birds

Yesterday was a warm day after a week of bitter cold with temperatures in the 40's - a change of 60 degrees from the previous week.  The birds took advantage of the warmth to bathe and enjoy the partial sun of the day.

Along the Henrys Fork of the Snake River, I caught this Bald eagle drying off its wings after bathing along the edge of the river.  It held its wings in this position for about 30 minutes.

 

A couple miles farther up the river I found this American robin bathing along the ice.  There were a flock of about 100 of them enjoying the warmth of the day.

 

It appeared to be a little crazy, but it probably needed the bath.

 

This Steller's Jay is beating its wings to shake the excess water off.  Sometimes I wish I had videos of wildlife as they go through the acts that are natural to them.

 

I almost missed this shot as this Belted Kingfisher dove for a minnow.  It was unsuccessful and flew off to dry on a willow limb.

 

And as I was headed home, the distant Teton Peaks were shrouded in the blankets of clouds - they themselves trying to keep warm in the bitter cold air that surrounded them.

 

Just another day in the wilds of Idaho - and the Tetons in Wyoming, but viewed from Idaho.

Saw Whet, elk and favorite pictures

Merry Christmas to all of you.  Here are some of my favorite pictures of the last two days.  I hope you enjoy.

Remember who Christmas is named after and celebrate His birth and life.  Also may you and your family have all the blessings you need and desire. 

Spring snow storm

Sunday morning it started snowing and snowing hard.  The flakes were so big our cat, Flurry, was chasing them, but there were so many he finally just watched them fall.  So before church, I decided to see how the birds were reacting to the heavy snow.

The bald eagles were still courting - the wet snow could not dampen their desire to pro-create.

The newly arrived female Burrowing owl looked mad about being caught in the snow while Mr. continued to clean out their chosen burrow.

A pheasant cock with his tail covered with wet snow runs from me to some cover - or maybe to visit a setting hen.

This robin in my backyard is fluffing up trying to stay warm by shaking the snow off its back while the trees are covered.

Sandhill cranes continued to look for food in the marshes - who knows some dumb rodent may scurry past and become lunch for today.

Not only a wild day in Idaho, but an answer to prayers for more moisture.  Shake off the crap of life and have a bless'ed day.

Weird Tuesday at Market Lake

There were some weird sights and actions at or near Market Lake today as I spent the day watching and photographing birds as the ice is melting fast.

The first weird thing was what appeared to be a racial relationship.  This snow and Canada goose appeared to be a couple. But every time the couple got close to a flock of Canada geese, they were chased away. Eventually the two flew off together only to come back about an hour later.  It seems that even some geese engage in racial prejudice.

The goose in the air was trying to steal the mate of a Canada gander.  As he was attack and tried to fly over the pair, the gander leaped into the air, grabbed the foot of the intruder and pulled him back into the water and the fight was on.

With the receding ice some winter-killed fish draw eagles to feed on them.  This mature Bald appears to be leucistic with one pure white feather on the left wing, two on the right wing with a white chest and belly that extends over the front of the wings.

This pair of Canadas are practicing "agnostic aggression."  Usually geese practice this with intruders, but after driving off the intruder, the gander flies back to his mate who in a submissive pose.

She holds that pose as he slides up to her in his domineering pose with wings out stretched. 

He then shows more dominance by raising his head and honking several times. 

She remains in the submissive pose until he starts leading her away to the bull rushes they have been protecting for their nesting area.

Just another interesting, weird and educational day in the wilds of Idaho.

Valentine owls - GBBC

For the last two days I have been enjoying the Great Backyard Bird Count even though we are having a lot of rain and fog on top of two feet of snow.  It won't last long with all this warm weather.

Here is my favorite picture of the two days.  I found these two Great Horned owls celebrating Valentine's Day the day after.  Or maybe it is a real relationship as it is time for them to pair up and start nesting.

The Deer Parks WMA west of Rexburg now has about 500 trumpeter swan, 400 Canada geese and 400 mallards working the stubble field and starting on the corn patch as they are migrating in.

Even though it is still frozen over, Market Lake WMA has been invaded by waxwings.  Here is a lone Bohemian waxwing joining a flock of Cedar waxwings there.  They are feeding off the Russian olives.

At the Teton River bottoms and Henrys Fork of the Snake River, I am still finding the rare Great Gray owls.  They will soon start moving back up the the mountains to nest and raise their young.  My 2014 Bucket List includes to find a Great Gray owl nest this spring.

Camas NWR is the roosting place for about 40 bald eagles and here are two that are working the calving and lambing operations within a few miles of the refuge.

Just another couple of days in the wilds of Idaho.  Have a great day.

Ice fishing again

I am glad to be able to ice fish again.  It was a great day with some old fishermen that I enjoy fishing around.
Here some are waiting for a school of kokanee to come in.

A thief on the ice - a bald eagle steals one of the fish from another fisherman.

After catching my limit of kokanee, I found and herd of Mule deer and one of them was this large buck.

This evening I found one of the Great Gray owls and enjoyed it flying over my head, missing me twice by about a foot.  Just another wild day in Idaho.

Eagle attack

Yesterday I went ice fishing on Ririe Reservoir for kokanee and trout.  It had been slow for the last two weeks for me, so I decided to take one more trip to see if fishing had improved.  It was spitting snow and the wind was cold so I set up my ice shelter.

I had caught a trout when a school of kokanee came in.  I had caught four and threw them out on the ice as I tried to continue catching them.  I heard a swooshing sound and saw two bald eagles fly by the shelter picking up two of my kokanee.  My camera was in my sled outside and I was minus two of my fish.

I was surprised that the eagles would dive within eight feet of my red shelter to pick up my fish.  A fisherman about a hundred yards up the lake told me an eagle had stolen a fish from another fisherman during the week and had been so close that it wing had hit the man.  It was probably the one of the two that raided me.

I had moved one of my rods about 30 feet away to fish some rocks for trout while I continued catching kokanee.  I had just caught a trout when the man yelled at me that an eagle was coming.  I dropped the fish and ran for my camera.

Here is what I got from this attack:

At about 12 feet away, I messed up some of the pictures as the eagle was moving too fast and the sky was very cloudy and dark.

I did not get another trout, but went home with a trout and six kokanee. 

The most important things I went home with was images and memories of another great day in the Wilds of Idaho.