A Golden Eagle taking flight.
I had a wonderful day yesterday birding the Fort Pierre National Grasslands in the center of South Dakota. Winter on the Grasslands can be downright spectacular for raptors, and yesterday was no exception. I saw at least 50 Rough-legged Hawks, at least that many Northern Harriers, 12-15 Ferruginous Hawks, a couple dozen Red-tailed Hawks, a Merlin, 5 or 6 Golden Eagles, a pair of Bald Eagles, and the highlight for me, 9 Prairie Falcons.
A brilliant sunny day…wide open spaces on the Grasslands…and raptors filling the skies, fenceposts, and telephone poles. I can think of few better ways to spend a day!! I still haven’t processed a lot of photos, but am working on putting photos from the trip on my website.
Something so beautiful and fine in its simplicity of going out to enjoy big, beautiful, birds, away from wars, the economy, politics, all the issues we are awash in–grasslands and sunshine and quiet and the sights and sounds of birds, part of our environmental treasures! HAS to be the BEST story of the day!