Being a stubborn git can pay off (i.e. the 5 raptor day)

When I woke up this morning, I realized that evil sinus fairies had stealthily stole into the bedroom last night and replaced my brain with wet cotton balls.
(I am a sneezing, snuffling, half-comatose mess right now. And a bit high on Robitussin. You have been warned)

Lorelei and I went out, with no particular goals. We "made the rounds" of the local birdy areas, starting with Lake Isabella. There has been a nesting can for great horned owls there for years. Last year, after incubating for nearly 30 days, the female disappeared after a really horrible ice storm. (Click HERE for a "Sunday Sketch" of the nest)
I have been checking that can for the past 2 weeks, and was ready to give up. Maybe they are taking a break this year.
No, I say! NO! I will check one more time...one more time. And my anal fixation of this nest has paid off. She was on nest today.
Day 1 of incubation:

See the ear tufts?



I was so thrilled. (Despite the evil sinus fairies) And Lorelei was, too. She has been as hopeful as me about this nest.
So, that's raptor #1 today.

Then it was Armleder Park, the home of this season's RAPTOR-PALOOZA.

First bird (raptor #2) as we came into the park was Skippy, the Welcome Kestrel:



The car was right next to this sign, and he could have cared less.
"Welcome to Armleder. Please obey all rule and regulations. Please keep all dogs on leash. Please park only in designated areas. Enjoy your visit, and have a wonderful day."



He also doubles as the Traffic Bird:

*whistling...."Stop! In the name of looooooooove..."

Raptor #3 was one of the spazzy harriers who are calling Armleder home for the winter.
Raptor #4 was a PEREGRINE FALCON trying to get out of the way of said spazzy harrier. He/she took off across the river to go eat some pigeons off the Beechmont levy.

Why did I have to go all the way to Cape May, New Jersey to see my life PF, when they live HERE? Why, I say?

Raptor #5 was a red-tailed hawk at Exit #14, at mile marker 14 off I-71 (affectionately called the "Mile Marker 14 Bird" by some RAPTOR, Inc. members.

Just think. If it had been a bit colder, I would have seen the short-eared owls. That would have been #6. And if our resident red-shouldered hawk had been hanging around the yard, that would have been #7. Or our barred owl. That would have been #8. That would have been too fantastic to handle.