Hey scorpgirl My local raptor watch group has been counting migrating raptors since August. Anyone can show up at the watch and help spot the birds. Binoculars sure do help, though not necessary. Having people there to help you identify the birds so you know what you're looking at is also nice. The count is then submitted to HMANA. http://hawkcount.org/ You may be able to find a count near you at this site. Everyone here says that in New Jersey the place to be for migration is Cape May. We are known here as a good place for spotting golden eagles- but you have to dress real warm if you want to see them. They migrate Nov. -Dec. Here is a link that might be useful: hawkcount

I see no orange on this bird, either. I thought, first thing, "Crested Caracara," then "Northern Goshawk," based on its overall coloring and the habitat. The habitat seems wrong for a Caracara, but we had one visiting us in redwood country not long ago, eating at several deer carcasses along Highway One and the bird appeared several weeks later (assuming it was the same one) in Oregon. . . While a Northern Goshawk *would* be feathered farther down on the legs, take a closer look at this photo, then turn to page 190 in the NGFG, and check out the feathering on the legs of the Goshawk (imm) in the painting: the feathers are farther down, yes, but they are sweeping back, as in the bird in the photo. A Northern Goshawk *would* go after prey as large as a squirrel. I sincerely doubt a Cooper's would take prey that large. . .

Great horned owls can attack and take small (very small) dogs. Saw one do it ... it was in the habit of stopping in the parking lot where I worked, perched on a light post. hoping for one more bunny or mouse. We were admiring it when a man came jogging through the industrial park, preceded by a very small dog running off leash about 50 feet in front of him ... end of dog. The owl swooped, snatched, and kept going, with a very dead (limp,not moving) dangling from its talons. If the idiot owner had followed the leash laws, the dog would have been

You know, I posted an additional thank you yesterday and the darn post has disappeared! I wanted to thank KitchenDetective for recommending the bisque soup at Gaido's. At first I couldn't find it on the menu, but then realized that it's listed as Watkins Bisque Soup. I can't thank you enough for that as it's, hands-down, the most delicious soup I've ever eaten! We all LOVED it! If I can't find the recipe at one of the internet recipe sites, I'm going to have to break down and buy their cookbook for it. THANK YOU!!! Natal: we loved our lunch at Fisherman's Wharf, too! It was lovely to sit out on their dock patio and just soak in the atmosphere as we ate. I had their Shrimp Salad and a nice glass of chilled chardonnay. Yummm . . . I miss the place already! Imsoconfused: no, we never made it to Moody Gardens. I'd read on some travel review website that not everything was open yet. Next trip we're going to head there, though. Stinky Gardener: you're welcome . . . I'm glad you enjoyed them :~) Texanjana: We drove by Bishop's Palace several times and, yes, it is gorgeous! Unfortunately, DH only had the patience for one house tour and so we let our 17 y/o DD decide which one and she picked Moody Mansion. BTW, this coming weekend is their BIG multiple home tour event. Wish we could have made it to that! As for hurricane damage, yes we were surprised that there still was some evident. Even along Seawall Blvd. we saw a few places that had never been repaired. They were repairing two of the jetties/piers west(?) of 61st Street and Seawall while we were there. A local said that it was about time! At Moody Mansion, they have markers to show how high the water came up there and it looked to be about 4 feet. The grounds and mansion looked good, but we were told that one car was badly damaged during the hurricane and was out being repaired . . . still, after all this time. The lowest level of the mansion, which housed the kitchen and servants quarters, is still almost completely empty. They took us through area, but there wasn't anything to see really. Looking at the new, high-end, gorgeous homes going up at the east end of the island, I just had to shake my head at it all. IMO, they are so exposed out there and, unless they're all being made out of steel with bullet/hurricane-proof glass, it's hard to imagine them making it through another major hurricane. Lynn