Sleeping in the Forest

I finally made it up to Bonney Butte to watch the raptor migration- thankfully the weather was amazing. Bonney Butte is located at the convergence of three ridgelines which raptors follow as they migrate south along the Pacific flyway. As they follow the thermals they are funneled over the top of this butte, which is why it is such a famous place for biologists to spend every day there for two months to count their numbers. It is a great place for the public to visit because they are mist netting and banding many of the birds as well, and it is a cool opportunity to see wild raptors up close.


Natalie and Jamie scoping the scene


female light morph red tailed hawk- check out her tongue- the hole in the middle allows her to eat and breathe at the same time


Natalie was a lucky duck and got a chance to hold her


she really was beautiful... I wonder where she was coming from? Alaska? and headed to maybe Mexico? Who knows...




another winged friend


the western bluebirds were abundant up there... all over the noble fir trees


a little bird and a big mountain


raaaaaar!

It was a great day... saw lots of sharp shinned hawks, red tails, golden eagles and peregrine falcons.

And now for some random pics from a hike I did last month on Mt. Adams:




Horseshoe meadow