Hi Kids, Well, it has happened again...another PFW season has come to an end. I for one was happy to see April 3rd arrive, I had run out of steam. My data has been entered and I am surprised to see how different this season was from last. I had a few birds last season that I did not see this season: white-throated sparrow tree sparrow golden crowned kinglet pine warbler I saw the brown creeper on several occations but never on a count day. I had only one bird this season that was new and that was the pine siskin. Friday the 3rd was my last count day for the season. On Saturday the 4th I had a Mama turkey sitting on my deck for the longest time. That was a first for me. Yesterday, I saw my first pine warbler. I've also noticed more pine siskin this week than in weeks past. How long with they stay around? Beautiful flicker, Claire. I find that the flicker does not like me to be around while s/he is at the suet feeder. When I see them, I know I need to stay away from the window/slider. Such a beautiful bird with such a beautiful tail. sooey who is now happy to enjoy the birds without feeling like it's homework... ;) but who will very soon get excited about a bird and wish she has someone to report it to... :(

Within the past say 3 years I have turkey vultures spending the night in the huge cottonwood in the very back of my yard. They spend their nights in this neighborhood....sometimes at my house, some times at another house a block away. There is a huge group circling every night in the summer...like 20 or more birds. But I do have a picture where I counted about 40 birds in the tree one fall after the leaves were gone. I wonder when they will leave? ( I am in central Iowa) do they all migrate as a flock? One at a time? Where do they nest? And why do I never see a vulture eating any of the dozens of road kill deer in this area? I haven't seen a vulture on the ground in Iowa ever! Can anyone shed some light on these mysteries? Linda C

I found this discussion by accident and thought I'd mention something about this type of bird. I agree with the rehab center. Google farmers and vultures and see what pops up. They hunt by locating vulnerable animals. This may be a newborn calf, lamb, goat, feral kittens, nestling birds, fledglings, etc. The newborn animals get their eyes pecked out. The mother can't prevent it because they hunt in large groups. The newborn animal then gets pecked to death and flesh is ripped off it's body while still alive. It's never good to see something die a slow death but in this case, I agree with the rehab center. Let nature take it's course.

ok, i have waited this long because i couldn't narrow it down. my first love at a raptor dates back to kindergarten- the bald eagle. actually it is pretty "ironic": i can remember asking my mom for a quarter to "help save the bald eagles" i don't know if it was the teacher, or if it was the school, but i remember i needed to take it to class. so, here i was 30 years later, fighting development of plum island as a preserve for their winter and nesting sight. i am proof that educating children and raising their awareness works! now, on the other extreme, i just love the kestrel. this is strange for me because i am a "bigger the better" kind of person- irish wolfhound definitely preferred over a small dg, give me a horse- make it a "heavy horse" there is just something about the spirit of the bird being bigger than its size. i really think they have taht warrior spirit despite that apparant fragility i have heard of when kept captive. although i have never had experience with them. owl are just too tough to decide between. again, the raptors seem to win me over despite size- oh, that screech owl's song! a am partial to barn owls simply because ot the endangered/threatened status. i have never seen one! the great horned does win over the barred, but that doesn't make the barred any less "endearing." i do like the turkey vulture, too. so that about sums it up (love red tails in flight calls, they are always saying something) i ahven't gone in to many species. mostly i am trying to stick to the ones of my area. but, the harpy eagle, now there is a magnificent bird! anyone see jeff corwin with the harpy on his arm? it kept pecking his head. i say pecking because with that kind of strenght it was more like a love tap!