 Bald Eagle 2-3 year |
 Bald Eagle back 2-3 year |
Bald eagles became breathtakingly beautiful against the blue sky background of late. Doing that were a pair of adults that seemed to enjoy circling together as they rode thermals higher and higher, while a 2nd or 3rd year sub-adult cruised by out the window letting me see both its topside and downside to help me guess its age.
 Turkey vulture |
 Blue Jay |
Not to be forgotten, a turkey vulture did the same against the same background. And a blue jay showed it didn’t need the blue background to give color. In the sun, its back glowed a deeper blue than the sky could muster.
Wood duck male from 2022
A big surprise was the biggest flock of mallards I’d ever seen walk up from the Woods Lake. As it took over the yard and my count reached 111, a pair of wood ducks tagged along as an added treat—the wood duck I think is our most beautiful. I wasn’t ready to take a picture, so I a put a picture of one (maybe the same male) I photographed two years ago in the same spot.
 Big bite |
 Deer eating red maple |
With bears scarce as they move off to their denning areas, deer are warily taking over. This family or group was eating big mouthfuls of red maple leaves.
I’m looking forward to the return of the bears in the spring.
Bear hunting season ends in a couple days. I think it’s been a safe year for the bears we know.
Thank you for all you do,
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center