This gallery contains 7 photos.
i Love these photo challenges: this one is about animals, enjoy, til Tomorrow MJ Click on any image and follow the arrows for a full-sized slide show, thanks
Category Archives: photography
Peregrine Released
Friends, this tundra peregrine was migrating through Duluth Minnesota, floating on the thermals above Hawk Ridge when she saw what appeared like a wounded bird. She swooped down and got caught in a net. People rushed out to free her from the net and put a band on her leg, measured her and sent her to an educator/naturalist who stood in front of other people and told them about the peregrine falcon natural history. Someone from the crowd then adopted this bird and was allowed to set her free to continue on her migratory journey. This is what happens on Hawk Ridge in the fall. til Tomorrow MJ
Goshawk on the Ridge
Oct 8
This gallery contains 2 photos.
Friends, wow!! wordpress has had the gallery format for a while but i am a slow learner and just discovered how to use it, this format allows you to click on either image and you can view a full sized image and by clicking on the side arrows, you can advance thru the two […]
Weekly Photo Challenge:Happy
Oct 7
This gallery contains 12 photos.
Friends, these are things that make me happy, click on any image to see the captions and full-sized images in a slide show. The right and left arrows direct you through the show and the small x in the upper left hand corner returns you to this post. Enjoy , til Tomorrow MJ
Migrating Peregrine
Friends, this beautiful bird is another tundra peregrine falcon, i love the blue accessories. He has flown in from the tundra of the northern regions and will migrate to the tip of south america. A very long journey even for those of us with modern gps. He is going on his instincts and inborn knowledge, for this is his first trip. There are no parents to guide him, just his internal compass. On their first journey, they avoid flying over Lake Superior because the coldness of the lake doesn’t produce the thermals that are critical for gliding. Over Hawk Ridge the thermals lift the birds and below is the view that they enjoy while migrating south along the ridge. we will release this peregrine in tomorrow’s post til Tomorrow MJ
Harrier Release
Friends, this Northern Harrier has been released back into the wild with a new bracelet on her leg, yesterday we showed her portrait and what she will look like in two to three years with adult eyes and plummage. Below is an image of her wing detail, facinating to me. 
Harrier – Hawk or Owl
Friends, this hatch year Northern Harrier is a hawk with a facial disk much like an owl. Her beautiful chocolate brown eyes mark her as a first year female according to the educators on Hawk Ridge. Below is an image of a more mature harrier with lemon-colored eyes and a grayer plummage. The disk helps to funnel sounds while they typically cruise over the top of the cattails hunting for their food. Close to the ground they can be identified by the white patch near the topside of the butt. Tomorrow we will release this bird back to the wild. til Tomorrow MJ
Release of the Cooper
Friends, this beautiful immature Cooper’s Hawk was released after being banded, i was able to keep the head in focus but the rest of the wings and the end of the tail were beyond the depth of field. This bird flew directly over my head at very close range so i was lucky to get any images at all. This image shows the sharply banded tail that is characteristic of the Accipiters. The image below shows the long legs and his new leg band. til Tomorrow MJ
Coopers
Friends, this image is an immature Cooper’s Hawk compared to an adult shown below. They are larger than their cousin the sharp shinned, but smaller than their other cousin, the Goshawk. Like their cousins the hatch year birds have yellow eyes, vertical chest feather pattern and chocolate brown back feathers. When they grow to adult birds, the eyes turn to red, the chest pattern changes to a more horizontal pattern and the back and head get a dark gray. Collectively these hawks are in the Accipiter group and in the air they have long tails and short wings so they can quickly maneuver thru the woodlands to catch their prey. The Cooper has a loose ruff of feathers on the back of the head that is sometimes raised, you can see this ruff on the adult bird below and a hint of it in the immature bird. Enjoy your coopers hawk until tomorrow when we release him back to the wild. til Tomorrow MJ
Redtail Release
Friends, after receiving a band on his leg, this wild red tailed hawk was released from the cliff above me at Hawk Ridge. Now my flying practice is starting to produce results. My heart did a thumpy thump when he looked down at me or maybe it was the short hike downhill to get below the release site. He then pumped his magnificent wings and flew away over Lake Superior, this is the upstroke of his wing and below is an image of the down stroke. Enjoy til Tomorrow MJ
MJ Springett 