Haines...at last!

November 18th
Our last day in Haines. We drove out toward Canada again, stopping to watch eagles. We had lunch at Mile 33, the last services before Canada. On the way back we saw another river otter "ottering" around in the snowy bank of the river. So cute! Got back in time to catch the ferry to Juneau. Spent Monday doing a little birding (chestnut-backed chickadee, running some errands and relaxing. That evening we concluded our trip by watching "The Big Year" which we both enjoyed. Left Tuesday morning for home. What a fantastic, amazing and inspiring trip. Thanks for sharing it with me via blog!

Mile 33 - delicious burgers!

Fighting over salmon

Cute river otter!

November 17th
Another day watching eagles, but today was totally clear, with an amazing blue sky. I understand now why everyone is enthralled with Haines, as magnificent mountains surrounded us all day! Today the eagles were mostly perched in trees. Counting eagles in the trees across the river, I gave up after 200. Unbelievable! We stopped at various spots to watch eagles, as we drove out the road toward Canada. We drove by so many beautiful lakes, rivers and vistas, including Mosquito Lake and Porcupine Crossing. At 2:00 there was a totem unveiling in the native village of Klukwan which we attended. There was singing, dancing and speeches by the elders. A truly authentic event, which was very moving. We felt very fortuntate to be there!

November 16th 
Today we decided to go out to Chilkoot Lake to look for the dippers that we had been told were there. It turned out to be a good decision. In addition to seeing some gorgeous scenery and at least seven dippers, we saw a river otter and a brown bear! The river otter was almost magical, the way it swam and moved between water and snowy bank. I had never seen this kind of otter before; really fun to watch. The bear was an unusual sight in November. We watched it from the bank, as it was eating fish in the river and felt fairly secure, but when he headed up the bank, I quickly got in the car. I was able to get a really good picture, but that is as close as I ever want to be to a bear!

In the afternoon we attended lectures at the Eagle Festival. Before dinner, we made a quick stop at the Sheldon Museum and then had Thai food for dinner. Another great day!


Chilkoot Lake

 

Close encounters of the brown bear kind!!



Common mergansers or goldeneyes...


November 15th

Today was the day I've been dreaming about for a long time. We boarded the bus to go out to the Chilkat preserve to view the eagles. My expectations were exceeded!! The weather had improved greatly; no snow, rain or wind! We saw well over 300 bald eagles, probably closer to 400. It was truly an amazing sight to see so many eagles in one location, in trees or on the ground, eating fish, protecting their meal from ravens and magpies. The 2 and a half hours flew by, as we took pictures, watched eagles, and other birds, chatted with other birders, etc. Speaking of other birds, we also saw trumpeter swans, common mergansers, magpies, and a hairy woodpecker. We were treated to a spectacular view of 2 trumpeter swans flying right in front of us; beautiful birds!

After returning on the bus we went to get a hot lunch and warm up. Afterwards, we browsed through some shops and then headed home to rest and regroup. In the evening we went to the Wild and Scenic Film Festival, which included a delicious salmon dinner. The films were all about nature, environmental issues and outdoor sports. Very fun evening.

Tomorrow we're headed back out to see the eagles; can't wait!!!!!

Internet is very sketchy here and working on my blog is difficult. I've decided to finish it up when I get back to Juneau, so won't be posting again until Monday.

Beautiful landscape

Friends since 7th grade!

Winter wonderland

Wow!

November 14th
Jane and I caught the 7am ferry from Juneau to Haines. It as dark when we left Juneau and it was fun to watch the shore and snowy mountains come in to view as the sky lightened. We passed the time enjoying the view, having breakfast and visiting with other passengers that were also headed for the Bald Eagle Festival. The highlight of the ferry trip was seeing a humpback whale breach. More than once. Probably about 7 or 8 times!!! I understand this is a very unusual sight so I feel very fortunate to have witnessed it. Very memorable!!

It was snowing when we arrived in Haines! Jane drove us to the Festival site in her trusty Subaru; given the weather conditions, we are both happy to have a car!. We registered for the Festival and then went to our motel to check in. After getting settled we attended a presentation on eagle migration and learned about the local eagle counting methodology and the history of eagles in the Chilkat Preserve. In the evening we went to the banquet, and enjoyed a very delicious halibut dinner.

Birding in Juneau

Today we went birding with Jane's friend Steve. He took us to several locations, starting at the Mendenhall Wetlands.We had hoped to see a Long-eared Owl that had been spotted recently. We didn't see the owl but we did see many birds that were new for me, most notably a Surf Scoter, Tundra Swan and Pelagic Cormorant. The weather was very inclement by my standards, but to the folks here it was a glorious day as the rain was mild enough that you could "stand up in it". I enjoyed being out in the elements. I was well prepared thanks to Jane's sartorial advice and loan of warm clothes. Fleece pants were a revelation! The temps were in the mid 30's; very invigorating. It is so beautiful here and a light dusting of snow added to the beauty.

After warming up with coffee and snacks we headed out to visit a spice shop, a used book store, and Costco. Then headed home for a clam chowder dinner. An all around great day!



Greetings from Alaska!



View from Jane's living room!

I arrived in Juneau on November 10 about 2 p.m. My good friend Jane (way back from Jr. High!) picked my up at the airport. It was cloudy and cold, about 29 degrees, and snowing lightly!!! Quite a switch from the unseasonably hot weather in San Diego.

In addition to visiting with Jane, I am here to attend the Bald Eagle Festival in Haines, where thousands of Eagles gather to eat fish during the winter. We take the ferry to Haines on Wednesday morning. In the meantime, Jane and I are catching up and having a great time. Last night we went to the Island Pub for pizza and then to an excellent local production of Oklahoma at the Perseverance Theatre. Lots of fun! This morning I went church with Jane. This afternoon we are going to the University to hear a lecture on China. Tomorrow one of Jane's friends is taking us birding. Although he says there isn't much to see right now, almost anything we see will be new to me, so I am looking forward to that!

Michael Arend's Birthday

Wade and I went to a family party to celebrate my nephew Michael's 24th birthday. We had a lovely dinner al fresco at Ciao Pasta in San Juan Capistrano. Vicki made a delicious, beautiful carrot cake for dessert. Fun evening!



Auntie is my name and spoiling is my game.



October Hiking

Beautiful Oaks at Mission Trails

In October we went on a couple of hikes. Wade, Keeva and I met Sue at the Blue Sky Preserve in Poway. It was a beautiful fall day and we saw a variety of birds, including Goldfinch, Acorn Woodpecker, Wrentit, and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Also a quick view of some kind of weasel crossing the path.





Picnic lunch at Lake Poway



Later in the month, Wade and I took Keeva to Mission Trails and hiked around the Visitor Center. Lots of Bluejays, Bushtits and a California Thrasher.

Mission Trails

Detroit River Hawkwatch 2012 - Summary

On September 14, we saw very few Broad-wings. On September 15, the birds seemed to know that the HawkFest was in full swing. We saw over 2000 in 2 different locations! It was very exciting and worth the wait! Quite a spectacle. Kenn Kaufmann (a celebrity in the birding world) was there with a group from Ohio and I was introduced to him; he actually sort of birded with our group for awhile. Although I'm not really into the celebrity thing, I have to admit it was rather exciting.

In addition to the Broad-wings I saw a Kingfisher, Green Heron and Northern Harrier during the next few days.

One "slow" day, we drove to Holiday Beach, Canada and visited the Hawkwatch there. It is across Lake Erie, 11 miles as the crow flies. They have a 3 story tower for viewing, which affords wonderful views of the surrounding wetlands and Lake Erie.

Mute Swans in Canada



Viewing Tower At Holiday Beach, Canada

Wetlands at Holiday Beach, Canada

The trip was a lot of fun and a great experience. I enjoyed socializing with the group I was traveling with; we had lots of laughs and I learned a lot from them. The weather was great and the locale beautiful. Can't wait for my next birding vacation! More pics below. Thanks for sharing this with me.

The "Group"

Broad-winged Hawks!

Today I finally saw Broad-winged Hawks migrating! We saw just a few today, but tomorrow's weather conditions are ideal for a major migration. We are all keeping our fingers crossed. We went to a second location this afternoon called Point Mouillee and saw a LOT of shorebirds, and several soaring Bald Eagles, masquerading as Broad-winged Hawks (haha). This location is beautiful and a lot more natural; no boaters or jet skis. Back at the Boat Ramp location I saw over 200 Cormorants skimming along the water. Other new species for the day included Merlin and Red-tails.

I took a walk on the boardwalk to the Nature Center in Lake Erie Metropark and saw Red-winged Blackbirds, Frogs and Deer.

It rained this a.m., so we got a late start, but it still turned out to be a beautiful, mild fall day.

Fellow Hawkwatchers Joanne, Hal and Wes

Lake Erie Metropark Boardwalk

Frog

Deer

Point Mouillee

Detroit Hawkwatch Day 2



Beautiful Sky but no Broad-winged Hawks Today

 Thursday, September 13

Today was a beautiful day and our first day as a complete group - Borrego hawkwatchers together in Michigan. The weather was still not conducive to Broad-winged migration. But we did see: Gull, Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Cooper's, Cedar Waxwing, Great Blue Heron, Caspian Tern, Egret, Harrier and Peregrine. This was the first recorded migrating Peregrine  for the Hawkwatch this year!(I've learned how to add links, so if you are interested, click on blue type). The Peregrine flew by very close and we got a great look at this beautiful bird. In addition to the birds we also saw several species of Dragonflies and Butterflies. And a very cute Woodchuck!

Rain is predicted for tomorrow and we are hopeful that the wind and weather conditions will encourage our much anticipated Broad-winged Hawks to migrate and fly right overhead!

We ended the day with a great dinner in a Middle Eastern restaurant in Dearborn and also delicious homemade ice cream!

Detroit River Hawkwatch - 2012

View Toward Lake Erie and Canada

Hawkwatch Site

Great Blue Heron

Mallards in a "Conga Line:

Greetings from Michigan! I arrived on September 11. I'm meeting friends here from the Borrego Hawkwatch to spend a week watching Broad-winged Hawks migrate south. It is interesting to be in the Midwest again. It's been many years since my college days in Indiana and I had forgotten how different it is here. Lots of green, water bodies, and brick houses with big lawns. The weather has been pleasant and no bugs! Today I was at the watch site from about 10:30am to 3:30pm. The site is at a boat ramp at the Lake Erie Metropark. It's a beautiful location. Unfortunately we didn't see ANY Broad-winged Hawks today. We did however see the following: Great Blue Heron, Caspian Tern, Mallard, Cormorant, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Swallows, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Canada Goose, Pied-billed Grebe, and  Ring-billed Gull.
I'm having a great time already, hanging out with my friends, meeting new people and enjoying nature!

Borrego Valley Hawkwatch 2012 - Part III

The last few days have been kind of slow as far as Swainson's Hawk numbers go, but last night made up for that. The evening sky was full of hawks; estimates ranged from 300 to 600. It was a spectacular sight. There were also 5 Coyotes near the evening site that put on quite a show greeting and jostling each other while howling. It was quite a wildlife moment.

I've added 2 new birds to my list: Black-throated Gray Warbler and Lark Sparrow. Both birds have beautiful coloring and markings. Some day when I get more savvy I will add links and/or photos of the birds I mention.

Well, 2 more "Hawkwatches" and then I'm headed home tomorrow. Wade follows on Monday. It has been a fabulous trip, can't wait for next year! Thanks for sharing it with me!

Hawkwatch 2012 was a great experience

Borrego Valley Hawkwatch 2012 - Part II



(Very) Happy Campers

The last week has been great, watching hawks morning and night; enjoying time with friends old and new. I saw a "new bird" recently - a Lesser Nighthawk. Look it up, it has very distinctive white wing bars. Yesterday I also saw a Great Egret fly across the valley; an unusual sight in the desert. Counts for the last week (for me, not the Hawkwatch official total) are as follows:

3/21 - 46 SWs and 8 TVs
3/22 - 465 SWs
3/23 - 711 SWs and 42 TVs
3/24 - 270 SWs and 60 TVs
3/25 - 165 SWs 0 TVs
3/26 - 26 SWs and 1 TV
3/27 - 294 SWs and 12 TVs

As you can see the numbers vary greatly from day to day, as do the viewing conditions. Sometimes they fly right overhead and sometimes they are 1-2+ miles away. I am really appreciating my new binoculars. It makes it much easier to see/count and I can also more readily distinguish hawks from vultures.

In addition to the hawks, I have also seen an assortment of other birds, including Quail, Verdin, Cactus Wren, Kingbird and Kestrel. There is also a pack of 4 Coyotes that we see and hear almost daily at the evening sight. They come fairly close to us and are so beautiful.

I've been lucky enough to do some hawk "chasing" with some of the leaders, going where the hawks are and learning a lot about their behavior and migration. This has provided me with several "up close" views of the hawks. They are so majestic and interesting to watch. I'm hopelessly addicted to this experience!

View from evening site

A beautiful desert sunset and a kettle of Swainson's
(ok, black specks high in the sky)