03-07-13 Bird Field Note

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03-07-13 Bird Field Note

March 11, 2013

Debbie Leick's Field Note describes signs of spring, owl sightings, and turkeys on the floodplain.

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03-07-13 Bird Field Note

Moss and grass, above, sprout pleasing colors as the drab landscape slowly wakens. Below, lush watercress lines Partridge Alley’s spring area. Non-native, but edible, it adds a peppery flavor to salads and sandwiches.

A vibrant flight feather lies on the monotone ground. Additional feathers, strewn beneath a nearby post, indicate one less northern flicker on the ranch.

Horned larks blend perfectly into their surroundings. In a small depression, the center bird enjoys a bath in loose soil. It dips and then shakes the cleansing dust into its feathers. Sagebrush, four inches high, springs from the agricultural field in front of the Orchard House.

An American robin seeks refuge from fickle, early spring weather. A berry-laden juniper provides the perfect forage and cover.

The national emblem stands sentinel in its robust nest.

A group of tom turkeys traverse down to the floodplain.

Owl surveys, in the Sheep Camp area, garner more nocturnal detections. During the day, William returns to hunt for roosts, nests and glimpses of birds. Below, a long-eared owl poses in the conifers near the Sheep Camp stock tank.

A northern saw-whet owl clutches its eviscerated prey and stares.

WB An optical phenomena, the 22 degree halo, forms around the sun. Light refracts through ice crystals and produces the white ring.

Previous Field Note

03-01-13 Field Note