Goatbells

almost too good ... perfect timing!

coyote hunting in meadow

Turkeys, Hawks, 5 Deer, a Coyote … goatbells.blog?p=38509

Snow falling in the foothills, so hike local. Rain and hail off / on all day; it kept most humans at home or indoors: Mt Pisgah trails were quiet.

Not a bad day in the woods, close to home. Flowers made it better.

#hiking #hikeOregon

that's one of the best kestrel shots i've seen, truly ... the angle and the colors, and that look ... wow ... nice!

tree blossom opening just barely

More Early Flowers goatbells.blog?p=38499

Spring is coming to Willamette Valley ... flowers seem like slow motion dancers - no car required :)

#oregon

that's an amazing shot ... who thought flickers had such color - maybe because i usually see them from behind flying away :)

very early tree blossom close up

red tail hawk perched above green field hunting

Blooms, Mist and a Hawk goatbells.blog?p=38483

Mt Pisgah trail conditions were muddy and the really muddy Tr #3 sections were avoided. Though my boots didn't get wet / muddy - I was lucky. Human traffic was very light and most dogs were on leash!

#hiking #hikeOregon #birds

South sister with a cloud bonnet from Alpine Tr

Three-layered Water Cake goatbells.blog?p=38439

Alpine Trail from best TH in Willamette NF

Conditions: slippery and muddy in the lower and upper thirds - dry in middle. Entire time, not one human … total solitude.

MTB Caution - one hazard between sign and Covered Bridge TH

#hiking #hikeOregon

red shoulder hawk atop a very tall tree

two red shoulder hawks playing in the sky

Red Shoulder Hawks in So. Willamette Valley!

last week, a solitary Red Shoulder - not our everyday hawk here - like red-tails

Today, one made such a racket in our yard - perched atop a tree in back yard; then second arrived -then screaming and acrobatics. Nesting pair?

a bit far for 150mm
#birds

FOOD!

Is Merlin healthy?

All you Merlin users, have you encountered weird call ID resutls? ... I have two: a) i am a black-capped chickaddee when i click my tongue; b) Willamette Valley Stellar Jays can be Red Tail Hawks (they are getting better at mimicking!). #birds

hawk flying in distance with large branch for nest

Nest material just as big as hawk

Photo is poor - long distance for 150mm, but the size of the branch amazed me... it's at least as big as the hawk's body or bigger. Nests are important :)

Over the meadows at Mt Pisgah, Willamette Valley

#birds

From Mt Pisgah looking over green grass thru a tree over the fog to Sisters covered in snow

Sign warning of coyotes

Spring & Silly Humans at Pisgah goatbells.blog?p=38391
So many people had their dogs off leash... very small dogs and dogs under no command at all. I guess peeps don’t believe the sign. Or, maybe they’re just trolling for coyotes with dog bait?

#hiking #hikeOregon

So many color variations ...

#birdoftheday ... and the posts today with open wings and our communal love of Osprey ... clear to see all the color variations ... would love to see a single bird of the day - ala Osprey in all their different colors. birds are as varied as humans - who thought?

looking east from Spencer Butte into fog, clouds and rain

All Day Rain on Ridgeline goatbells.blog?p=38381

When that is the best view of the day, ... :) goodness. Willamette Valley and Cascades need water - badly; so this helps our drought. Rain gear needs testing out and i need to learn it's limits. All day rain was perfect.

#hiking #hikeOregon

coopers hawk chasing thru a flock of song birds

Just Birds goatbells.blog?p=38316

Great blue herons aplenty and a wonderfully acrobatic hunter ... such wonderful birds and all as i walk from my front door to the park and back

#birds #hiking #hikeOregon

a bench and tree atop Mt Pisgah in the snow

Snow, Mud and Sun goatbells.blog?p=38304

Snow the day before, snow early morning ... muddy trails but birds out big - song birds, ravens, hawks and a lone kestrel. Humans didn't show up until after 10:00 - all 15 min from home.

#hiking #hikeOregon

fabulous info! ... i heard them breaking branches (they're not tiny!) before seeing the birds. Along this <5 mile stretch w/ river on one side and Mill Race on other - 3 Heronries (the old one replaced by this one was two trees & 5 nests) - there were only 3 new nests being built

great blue herons building a nest

Great Blue Herons new nest

Along Willamette River, great blue herons nest along bike & running trails; this year they abandoned one of those trees and moved ~100 yards away and much further from human traffic. Common behavior? First time in ~5 years I've seen them move.

#birds

that is a great Kestrel shot ... they are simply amazing small bundles of power

WOW! ... that's a shot!

and look at the feather patterns too! ... this is a great shot

Alpine trail through mixed age forest

From Alpine trail looking down at the fog over the town of Westfir

Quiet Alpine Trail goatbells.blog?p=38248
The valley was to have late morning fog, but the foothills warmer and fog-free earlier. Logical good hike -> Alpine Trail from the best Willmatte National Forest TH @ Westfir Covered Bridge park. 19 miles of quiet solitude #hiking #hikeOregon

lucky you ... most of us are lucky to see a merlin ... 2? maybe you should buy a lottery ticket ...

the tail feathers with all those colors ... amazing!

smoke held in the valley from atop Mt Pisgah - stagnant air

a lone wild turkey in the bush at Mt Pisgah

Turkeys and Bad Air goatbells.blog?p=38236

Why people burn with stagnant air beyond me. A 60-degree April-like day on Mt. Pisgah: Turkeys and a lone hunting raptor.

#hiking #hikeOregon #birds

a small child shaking the hand of a tree in a greeting

Kumba Without a Mother goatbells.blog?p=38232

As winter continues on in some places and hides in others, good stories are always needed. Sitting around the campfire or the fireplace or the wood stove … what better way to pass the time than a good story? #hiking great thanks to Lilyan Kesteloot.

rainforest like scene along Goodman Creek

small meadow around the top of Hardesty

Quiet Empty Hardesty and Goodman Creek goatbells.blog?p=38205

two very different hikes from same TH - Hardesty a butt-kicker up / down, and Goodman Creek a rainforest amble up the hill - both remarkably quiet, and not 1 human for duration - ah!

#hiking #hikeOregon

nicely captured ... seriousness without doubt ... hunters just have that look 'don't mess w/ me, i'm busy!'

the eyes make the shot, imho ... very nicely done!

while steller's are not my favorite bird ... when they sing out i just hang my head and ask for prettier music ... but man, those blue feathers are way cool! ... nice shot, too