This weekend I decided to participate in the "Great Backyard Bird Count" in which anyone can report their own bird sightings between February 17th and 20th. It just so happened that I would run into a lifetime-birder friend from the park thus greatly improving my odds of both spotting and identifying more species. Funny thing is that I have NO bird photos for this post as we spent more time talking and scoping the landscape with binoculars.
While passing the lake on the south side we noticed something interesting about the water. Our mild temps have been hovering around the freezing point for so long that the ice had given in to showing the slight "current" that is likely indistinguishable during other times of the year. It clearly moved in "S" pattern across the one body of water towards where the creek empties back out of the lake. We walked for a bit on the ice -along the shoreline- and noticed all the garbage frozen into the ice. Afterward we spent a good while watching a Great Horned Owl perched in the shade of some thick trees, barely noticeable to anyone who was not looking for such a thing. Before making the loop and spotting some more birds, we came upon a remnant of what was likely a fine lunch for a Great Horned Owl.
This Pheasant wing and some partially attached pieces was hanging in a tree just a few feet off the ground. I doubt this is where the kill happened and the wing was maybe dropped from a taller tree but I'm not sure. There was certainly no trace of the other wing anywhere. At the end of the day, I had 14 different species on my list, made up of a lot of common winter birds but including a couple interesting ones like the Great Horned Owl and Northern Shrike. I'll be counting again tomorrow.
While passing the lake on the south side we noticed something interesting about the water. Our mild temps have been hovering around the freezing point for so long that the ice had given in to showing the slight "current" that is likely indistinguishable during other times of the year. It clearly moved in "S" pattern across the one body of water towards where the creek empties back out of the lake. We walked for a bit on the ice -along the shoreline- and noticed all the garbage frozen into the ice. Afterward we spent a good while watching a Great Horned Owl perched in the shade of some thick trees, barely noticeable to anyone who was not looking for such a thing. Before making the loop and spotting some more birds, we came upon a remnant of what was likely a fine lunch for a Great Horned Owl. 
This Pheasant wing and some partially attached pieces was hanging in a tree just a few feet off the ground. I doubt this is where the kill happened and the wing was maybe dropped from a taller tree but I'm not sure. There was certainly no trace of the other wing anywhere. At the end of the day, I had 14 different species on my list, made up of a lot of common winter birds but including a couple interesting ones like the Great Horned Owl and Northern Shrike. I'll be counting again tomorrow.
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