I am so excited!!!  Spring and the birds are coming!!   

Last Wednesday I spotted a small kettle of Turkey Vultures and yesterday we saw a fairly large kettle!!  I also saw a common grackle at my feeder yesterday...the first of 2010!  Soon I'll be tracking the northern migration of one of my fav's the hummingbird!!

Suzanne, who is looking forward to seeing the grass even if it is brown and yucky!

The articles were great!  And I agree with Sue (Bess)...miss everyone!!
Suzanne

So is Mariah still being seen at Kodak park this year?? 
Suzanne

Oh sigh, I was hoping to be able to go to DC this past weekend to say "good bye" to Tai Shan!  When he was little I was home with an injury and spent many hours watching him on the cam!  When they finally allowed the public to see him, we went there.  We had tickets for a 20 minute viewing, but the weather was terrible, so very few people showed up.  They let us watch him for two hours!  We took hundreds of photos of him!

Hopefully there will be a new baby Panda at the National Zoo this year
Suzanne

Ah, the days are now significantly longer and some birds are starting to test their voices!  So it must be mating time for the Bald Eagles!

So, a week ago we went up to Mudlock and sure enough, the Bald Eagle pair were gathering sticks and re-organizing the nest to ready it for the soon to be laid eggs.  I saw them mating in a nearby tree, no pic, too many branches in the way.  Then we saw the beaks lift up and they started singing to each other!   

Unfortunately the entire "love scene" was disrupted by a juvenile Bald who kept making itself known.  Maybe one of the kids from last year?  He was pesky! 

We took some pics, which I will upload at some point!
Cheers, Suzanne

Oh, cool!! 
Suzanne

During the "mating" time they "sing" to each other...they point their beaks straight up and sing.  Well, actually it sounds more like a yodel.  Hopefully we will be able to catch it this year!
Suzanne

Dare I ask where you will be going this time?  Hmmm, someplace exotic and WARM I am sure
Suzanne

That was wonderful!!  Thanks for sharing all the wonderful photos, and Happy Anniversary!
Suzanne

We went up to Montezuma yesterday to look for short-ear owls again...still no luck, but we did see several bald eagle pairs.  Spring must be in the air for them, as the Mudlock pair were in the nest together, as were the Armitage Road trio!  We are hoping to catch them engaged in their "singing" to each during the mating period!  It is awesome!
Suzanne

Hi All,
Since we have a house on Cape Cod I am always checking the Cape Cod news.  I recently came across a story about a rare Allen's Hummingbird wintering on the Cape.  Yesterday there was an update to the story...its wings had iced up, and it had to be rescued!  This is the link to the story, but if it does not work just go to capecodtimes.com.  The story should be on the front page.

http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100114/NEWS/1140321

Suzanne

Hey Carol, love those cute little holiday icons in your post 
Suzanne

Oh gosh, I'm going to have to get some also!  But...sigh, I really miss the old days of seeing M & K flying over the gorge and all   Maybe next year, though 
Suzanne

Oh, I just love it!!  Thanks for posting the story  
Suzanne

Anyone planning to participate in one of the many Christmas Bird Counts??  It seems as though several in upstate NY are earlier this year, ie. before Christmas vs New Year's Day or January.  We may participate in the Montezuma count, we have before and the weather is always a treat for this event!
Suzanne