The excitement has begun.
Raptor migration is on and the numbers are climbing.
I look forward to this time of year.
Who wouldn't get excited at this kind of view?
When a Bald Eagle comes over fairly low,the excitement builds very quickly.
It is very early in the migration season,but already 555 bald Eagles have passed through the Pembina Valley and more are coming.
This is a Golden Eagle.
The numbers for these birds are much lower,but that is very normal.
It is a beautiful bird to watch as it soars through the sky.
This was one of those special moments when a bird is so low that no cropping is needed. This picture is SOOC,no editing.
Although we always love seeing a mature Bald Eagle,this immature bird is no less beautiful.
When we have a moment of no Raptors in the sky,we turn our attention to the other birds.This little Downy Woodpecker came to check out the action and also look for some food in the tree.
A moment later this is all we saw of him.
Wings lifted straight up,ready for take-off.
Spotting the first Canada Geese come by is also thrilling.
It is somewhat unusual to see only two at a time and they were silent.
I still love how they looked in that beautiful blue sky.
As it is time for the weekend,I will be spending time at the Pembina Valley,watching for Raptors of all kinds and hopefully getting lots more pictures.
It is exciting to see the counts for the Red-tailed Hawks slowly climbing.We are now at 148 birds,but that should climb into the thousands before the migration is over.
To date 803 birds in total have been counted and those numbers should be climbing on a daily basis.
I can't wait to get out there and be a part of this thrilling event.
Stay tuned for many more pictures in the weeks to come.
39 comments:
wow. that would be an awesome sight! i love that immature shot you got! and your cute little downy w/ the feathers up!
Ruth, how exciting! I would like to see that one year!
Great images!
Have a wonderful weekend!
WoW Ruth these are all so special, I really would have wet my pants!!!
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his underside is just magnificent!!! and i love the LIFT OFF guy... these are wonderful Ruth
I have been wanting to get a shot of some eagles in the wild for quite a while now. If I had been there seeing that I'd probably have been so excited I would have had blurry shots. Thanks for sharing.
How exciting to see so many beautiful birds. Your photos are fantastic!!
It appears that spring is on its way. Great bird shots.
Nice series of images! I always love seeing the Eagles.
Just thinking of you the other day and wondering how things were going with the Raptor Return!! Here's my answer!! Beautiful, stunning birds!!
Ruth I keep forgetting to tell you that I like your header picture so much. And love these photos and your info on the raptors. Hope you get to see lots of them and take more photos!
No raptors here or downy's for that but we do have lots of other birds . including the Canada geese .
Oh they are so beautiful! How exciting! And the blue sky just shows off their loveliness!!
Hi Ruth....I can't wait to see more photos...I would love to see a bald eagle. My husband saw one at the farm last year. Hopefully I will get to see it this year.
Have a great weekend..
shug
This is exciting! We love seeing them through your eyes. We have so much more to look forward to.
Wonderful photos, Ruth. I have heard both the Canadian Geese and the Sand Hill Cranes announce their arrival this week though I have not seen any yet.
Hi Ruth...Wonderful opportunity shots..good for you !!
The raptors are spectaular sights for sure,and you captured the Eagles well ..!!
The Red Tailed Hawk has been present here all winter ..a beauty!!
Have a fantastic weekend!!
Grace
It would be a thrill to see and photograph these beautiful creatures. Don't you just love the little Downy Woodpeckers? We have some around here, too, and they're such a cute little bird. Have a great weekend Ruth. Diane
Great bird shots. I find it so hard to take good photos of a moving target. Lovely to just watch and hear the birds too (for you).
What a wonderful shot of the underside of that immature eagle. Such color in those feathers.
That has to be very exciting to see all those birds flying overhead. I can't wait to see your photos!
ruth, wow, i LOVE all these action photos. absolutely love seeing those beautiful birds.
thanks for brightening my day!
i love watching birds too.
xo
These are fantastic shots of the raptors, Ruth! Your SOOC shots are so sharp and clear! I love seeing those birds soaring with the deep blue sky above. Have a wonderful weekend.
Those Canada Geese may have come from our part. But probably not because they seem to be at our lake year-round.
Fabulous photographs of the raptors, woodpecker and geese! What a glorious experience for you to be able to see so many raptors migrating. I would be thrilled to see even one eagle. I hope your weekend is off to a splendid start at Pembina Valley. Can't wait to check back and view your future posts during the migration season. Thank you for sharing such beauty!
What an exciting time! I love migration! Hope you see many more raptors. Your photos today were beautiful.
I love all your captures...but that one of the Downy with the raised wings is really special.
Ruth, I had to finally come over to visit. I've seen your name on a number of the places I visit and wondered what your blog was like. I enjoyed the photos...very vibrant and stunning!
Majestic birds - beautiful captures ! We've been lucky to see some bald eagles here in Florida too although I haven't 'shot' any. yet. Loved your woodpecker shots too.
Enjoy your time in Pembina Valley.
I thought of you when we were vacationing in Florida, the birds were beautiful, especially the osprey. I hope to someday get a good telephoto lens, your photos are so beautiful.
That sounds like a wonderful experience. Your shots are great. I especially love the one that shows all the beautiful feathers.
This is such an exciting time of year, and your photos capture this wonderful time perfectly.
That is an awesome set of photos.
Oh my Ruth that image of the eagle soaring with it's wings open breathtaking! I can only imagine being close! Thank you for the well wishes. I am feeling better, meds kicked in and the 2 days of rain has cleared the air of dust and pollen! Thank you Lord!
Have a great day dear lady!
hugs Anna
How lucky to be apart of this migration. We do have a pair of Bald Eagles flying up and down the creek behind our home, and we are on the lookout for their nest, Great shots Ruth.
Take care.
We aren't on a migration route for raptors but the geese have been back for a little while ... okay ... maybe a week. We do get a few eagles move into the area eventually but haven't seen any yet.
Wonderful flight photos! I have seen only one Golden Eagle and that was 4 hours north of home. Migration is getting underway early around here this year.
Wow.. fabulous shots, Ruth. That juvenile eagle is a sight to behold. And I'm glad you be holding your camera when they're around. ;)
Wonderful! Wish I were there. :)
How neat to get to see a lot of raptors migrating through. Great shots! I love that Downy in the "ready for take off" photo :-)
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