Raptor Trust - Happy Bird Day

On New Year's Eve HWNSNBP and I made a quick trip up to the Raptor Trust.  It was a brisk 38º, luckily there was no wind, but it was just warm enough to unfreeze the ground making our shoes a mess.  Not to worry - it all washes out.

The path into the complex was festively decorated with green and red Christmas balls, just barely visible in this picture.  And as you'll see from the following pictures, the view of the birds in the enclosures is unobstructed to the human eye, but the camera has a hard time focusing through the chain link fences and in some cases, the nylon mesh that is on the bird side of the fence.

Red-shouldered Hawk

Peregrine Falcon enjoying a very chilly bath.

Barred Owl - I can attest that when in the sun, you could feel the warm of it.  The sun on the back of my black coat made the visit not as unwelcoming.

Here's another Barred Owl from the front.  I just love the beautiful patterns of their feathers.

Great-Horned Owl - this one was a little vocal.  He welcomed you with a deep WHOOOOOOOOOO, WHOOOOOOOOOO as you approached.,,,,,,,

.........and turned his head to follow us as we continued on.

Here is another Peregrine Falcon.  This one was a little flighty.

I don't know what exactly is in this enclosure.  This was in a restricted area and taken from a distance.  I just thought the bird and the shadow were cool because they don't match until you realize that the shadow is for the bird just barely out of the picture on the left.  I'm thinking it's a hawk of some kind.

This is part of the signage outside the eagle enclosure.  (Couldn't get a clear enough photo of them.) And this little bird seems to have aspirations of living a larger life.

I see on my calendar of holidays that today is Bird Day so I'm posting this card that I made with a new Unity stamp - Strange Bird.  I love the owl with it's hat and the sentiment is so spot on. HWNSNBP treated me to a set of Copic markers for Christmas - my firsts - and I plan on giving them a good workout.  

I used the debossed side of the feather folder and a diecut piece of cork originally part of a laurel wreath, but when it broke for the other project, it reminded me more of a feather.  

Happy Bird Day Weirdos - you're all awesome!