Lots of Baldies lately!!

Lots of Baldies lately!!, originally uploaded by DMarcumPhotography.

After Forestry class cut out at 4:10 this afternoon, my buddy Rob and I decided to walk over to the wildlife area on KSU's campus to check out the scene. This place is one of my local retreats here in Kent. I love it because it is a 2 minute bike ride from the middle of campus and I can go there whenever I have free time to look for birds and escape into a bit of woods.

While in mid-sentance explaining to Rob how Bald Eagles are one of the highest flying raptors that I know of, I look up and whaddya know...THERE'S ONE NOW!! It was a crazy coincidence. I love seeing Bald Eagles because they are such huge and powerful birds. Watching them fly overhead is always memorable. They are a great success story of wildlife conservation. I love seeing them even more with people who don't watch birds as much as I do (which is a lot of people haha) because they really get a kick out of it!

I have been seeing many Baldies lately, this is my third sighting in Kent since Wednesday and I haven't really been looking. I also saw at least three different individuals in Cuyahoga Valley N.P. last week.

These magnificent birds really are making a great comeback in this region, and it's great to have them as a flagship species to get people interested in conservation. I hope to get some better photos of eagles at some point down the road, it's only a matter of time.

There are many raptors to be seen out on this 100-acre patch of land as well. I have been watching a pair of Red-tailed Hawks that nest in the vicinity, as well as a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks (which I've yet to locate their nest but I have some ideas). The female likes to hunt near the boardwalk. The Red-tails like to hunt closer to the woods. I also used to see a Great-horned Owl in a pine stand on the site, but I haven't found any signs of him in the last few months, so I'm not sure if he's still around.

Besides raptors, I watched and listened a male House Finch singing his beautiful song today and then chase away another male intruder who showed up. Goldfinches were busy feeding on the plentiful Crabapple trees along with many Robins.

I will have many more stories to share about my KSU sanctuary, I hope to bird tallies in the future too!