QUINCY, CA.
April 2020 had arrived. The early spring days were delightful. I was getting outdoors regularly again (the pandemic wasn’t yet locking everything down), I had rejoined the Daily Bucket after finally getting a computer in the house, and my desire to get good nature and wildlife and bird photos was almost like a cabin fever reaching its peak and being released. Of all birds, raptors have always been my favorite. There’s something about them that just makes them special. They are Rulers of the Sky and the Earth Beneath. Talons of Terror to many other animals, Omens of Portent to humans in times past and Signs of the Seasons to many today. Thus it was with me. Winter was over. The hawks should be showing up any time now, I thought. So, get out and find them. Well,
May: no raptor sightings.
June: no raptor sightings.
Early July: still no raptor sightings.
Where were they? Surely they ought to be around by now. Had something bad happened to my natural world that I wasn’t sensing? Or was it just me, not being well informed of their natural ways and patterns of moving around as the seasons changed?
The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns.
We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.
Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the phenological patterns that are quietly unwinding around us. To have the Daily Bucket in your Activity Stream, visit Backyard Science’s profile page and click on Follow.
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As it has turned out, it was just me.
Here follows a chronological photo journey of the raptors I’ve seen and photographed so far this year. Most of them are Red-tailed Hawks (common and predominant here), but not all, to my delight. Before I proceed, however, I’ll note that there is the potential to see many other species of raptors in and around Quincy and Plumas County. I have seen some others, just not this year. Those include Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon (we had a nesting pair one year, at our local junior college, quite the treat to watch and study), Great Horned Owl, and Sharp-shinned Hawk. The Plumas Audubon Society checklist shows fourteen species under “Vultures, Hawks, & Allies”, four species under “Falcons”, and twelve species under “Owls”. Of these thirty species I can claim four this year; I’ve sure got a lot of watching still to do in the days and years to come. That’s a good thing.
On with the show. Some photos are better than others; conditions and distance being major factors.
The very first raptors I did see this year were Turkey Vultures. The hawks were yet to come.
On October 15, I was graced with a rarely-seen (for around here) White-tailed Kite. Could hardly believe my luck.
My photo quality was to also improve in the days ahead.
I began to see them in places I hadn’t seen them before.
Without question, however, for good fortune coming my way this year I can say this was the best of the best. So far, that is.
Now It's Your Turn
What have you noted happening in your area or travels? Any rapturous/raptor-ous moments you’d like to share? As usual post your observations as well as their general location in the comments.
Thank you.
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