newbie here with three chicks and a duckling. two Comets, a Delaware and a runner duck. I am petrified of predators and am researching everything. :( I am so sorry for all of your losses. I cannot stand the thought and before they go out I am going to focus on the most secure barriers I can come up with. We live on 32 acres in Western NY and have it all out here. we have 5 dogs, horses, cats and a 5 year old son. I am a SAHM so will be around a lot. We have approximately 1/4 of an acre with a falling down 6 ft. stockade fence around it that we are going to gradually replace. There is a large area within that fence next to the house where we will put the coop ( the rambler from www.chickensaloon.com and then secure a pen area. Part will be the house, two sides the re-enforced fence and a new part will have to be put up to make the rectangle. We want to put the black plastic shrubbery barrier down ( 6") and then pour cement around the fence. I will get the night time predator lights to move around and do whatever else I can do. If anyone is still reading this thread I am open to suggestions. we also will put bird netting along the top of the run. The problem is that there are no trees in the back. I need to get some put in and also find some things for them to hide under for when they spend time free ranging. In the winter I plan on letting them have a stall with a dutch door and making an enclosure for them but that is a ways away.

This is actually a gull with something in its bill. Can't quite get a read on the species. There are some massive gulls out there (Herring, Great Black-backed). This bird is likely an immature gull as it has dark markings all along the underwings and a dark tail. Eagles' body, tail, and wings are all shaped differently than a gull's. Notice the slim, pointed wings on this bird. Also, juvenile/immature Bald Eagles are mostly brown. This bird is mostly white with a dark tail. In a raptor (eagle or Osprey), the massive yellow talons would be visible underneath the bird. If any gull-savvy folks can ID the species, I thank you in advance. This post was edited by TMFF on Sun, Aug 25, 13 at 19:30

first note, the sun was almost directly overhead and I was looking up at the bird (sun was behind me at a few degrees off top and the bird was at about 70 degrees which means he would be somewhat shadowed. I really tried to ID the bird. I looked closely at its head, flight feathers, tail, It looked like a Turkey Vulture except I didn't see any white and it looked like it had a head about the same color as the body... At the Chattanooga nature center, they have two red tails that are not releaseable and in a cage (way too small if you ask me) The biggest one is only a bit smaller than the Eagle in the next cage (much bigger cage) and it (red tail) had no white that I could see. it is an old bird and it has light feathers but no white. After seeing that captive red tail, I tend to agree that the big bird I saw was a red tail. one thing for sure, if its a red tail, its not going too far away and I should get the chance to see it again. Here is a link that might be useful: Photos from the edge, of Tennessee

I took my first winter trip to the Catskills today hoping to see some eagles.I checked a couple of places I've seen them before. NOTHING. I drove route 10 from Deposit up several miles along the reservoir NOTHING. As I was driving back something caught my attention on the dam. I turned around and went back to check it out. On the dam there is a service road. Along the road are concrete post. To my surprise there were 10 eagles sitting on these post. 5 mature and 5 immature. That change my record of ten different eagles in a week to ten in a day . The trip was a last minute thought. I didn't have my cameras with me