Dining at the reserve 11-27-2011

Quiet lunch at the Reserve

This Northern Harrier shows up looking for his lunch.

The Harrier dipped down towards the feeding ducks. Maybe he just wanted some company in the air.
He is on the right hand side of the main body of birds and even with the dark grass line that you see at the middle of the page

Another quick pass by the harrier through the flock of ducks sent them in every direction. The harrier made some very quick course changes while the ducks were in the escape and evasion mode. I'll try to have better shots just as soon as I can up grade from this 70~200.

Along came A pair out looking for food

Armadillo looking for food.

These birds are laying low while all those hawks are around

You are in the landing pattern

The Geese relocating from the lake to the field for a midday feed.

Got Food

2nd Sunday even shorter

2nd Saturday short trip

Late Post from last month

Male Pileated being shy

Bathing th waxwings

A fast trip to the Hagerman

Norther Harrier

Crested Caracara

Crested Caracara

Crested Caracara

Flushed

Kestrel

Red Shouldered Hawk (Thanks Erich)

A short quick trip to th' Hagerman

As we drove up to the end of Egret Drive. Wife saw the splashdown so to speak of the Osprey. The Osprey was taking off from the waters surface as we grabbed the camera, stopped the car and stepped out for a better view. Bid O vectored around a swarm of gulls until there was only a couple still in the chase. The shots were a long way off. I cropped the pictures about 90%. There is only so much you can do with 200mm of glass.

The Osprey loaded with fish still maintains a safe distance to it's pursuers.

The Osprey flew into the trees to the West of the reserve for the snack.

Hair Do

In Crowd

Not just another sunset

The Beach Creature and the Heron

Neighborhood Watch

Second Saturday

 
                                                                       The Cat

We returned Saturday in hopes of finding the Bob cat that surprised us last week (last post). We were easing through some of the access roads for the pump jacks on the western side of the refuge when we found this cat. When we first spotted it, the cat blended with the back ground very well. He was setting pretty still till I rolled down the window. Then he started moving around.

We also stared up into the tree, thinking another cat would be there. I think the cat was just measuring the amount of energy required to git up the tree and the to git back down.

                                See the cat?

The Birds

I tried laying on the ground, I tried walking up to these birds, but they kept their distance

Refuge Woodlands

and

of course the Turtle

Another very necessary link in the food chain, Mr T appears without any worldly issues, kicked back and sunnin on a log