Wild Wednesday … Eagles Nest?

Posted on February 21, 2018 by foresterartist

This is week that the osprey customarily return to their nest in the electrical tower at the sawmill. I haven’t seen them yet. Usually the male shows up a week or two before the female. This year they will be in for a bit of a surprise. A little over a month ago a pair of eagles moved in. I’m not sure how this will go, but the eagle are a lot bigger than the osprey. I’d have to put my money on the eagles. Click on the gallery to enlarge to photos and get the dirt.

Nice looking birds.

He seems to have staked a claim here.

I keep waiting for them to gather sticks, but the haven’t. I not convinced their serious about nesting here.

These are all osprey pictures from previous years.

osprey, pen and ink, nature, wildlife, drawing, portrait

The osprey have inspired art from yours truly.

This has been an osprey nest literally for decades.

It’s a prime location for fishing birds with its grand overlook of the Sacramento river.

It hasn’t been without struggle. last season it rained so much the nest grew a garden before the birds arrived. They had to weed it.

When the summer heat get over about 106 the parents shade the chicks.

Osprey, pen and ink, drawing, wildlife, nature, ink

More art.

Two years ago the male osprey was struck be a helicopter blade and died. he was trying to defend the nest from the helicopter that was inspecting the tower.

The osprey have raised many generations.

The osprey probably won’t be too happy with the new residents.

Stay tuned to see how this turns out.

Below are a few of the osprey posts over the years.

https://wordpress.com/post/theforesterartist.com/948

https://wordpress.com/post/theforesterartist.com/1056

https://wordpress.com/post/theforesterartist.com/1090

https://wordpress.com/post/theforesterartist.com/1703

https://wordpress.com/post/theforesterartist.com/2659

https://wordpress.com/post/theforesterartist.com/4017

Wild Wednesday … Birds Around the Mill

Posted on November 29, 2017 by foresterartist

I started this post last June, but never finished it. Better late that never. Here are just a few pictures of our birds that make their home at the Mill. It defies conventional wisdom that so much wildlife makes it home at an industrial complex and thrives. It’s all about the habitat.

Wood Ducks.

Osprey

wild turkey, turkey, hen, birds, wildlife, nature, photography, sawmill

Wild Turkey Hen

Killdeer

Great Blue Heron

Black Pheobe

Cattle Egret

blackbirds, poles, birds, wildlife, nature, photography, sawmill

Blackbirds on a pole stack.

Wild Wednesday … Wood Ducks

Posted on November 1, 2017 by foresterartist

Wood ducks hanging out in the canal behind the sawmill. Something a little more serene than the Halloween post.

Wild Wednesday … Gander

Posted on March 22, 2017 by foresterartist

Canada goose, gander, birds, birding, pen and ink, drawing

Canada Goose Gander in pen and ink.

Canada geese, geese, wildlife photography, birds, birding

One legged geese.

Bliss, retriever, golden retriever, dogs

Bliss can’t go to the pond with taking a leisurely swim.

Wild Wednesday … Goose Goose!

Posted on March 15, 2017 by foresterartist

geese, Canada geese, pen and ink, drawing

A pair of Canada Geese in pen and ink.

This was drawn from a pair of geese on the mill pond. Canada geese are great subjects for pen and ink. They’re already black and white.

Canada Geese, honkers, photography, nature, birds, birding

Canada geese can be found on the mill site constantly.

This gaggle spotted Sailor and Bliss over on shore. They decided to come over and cause trouble for my goldens, who were minding their own business. Typical rabble rousing degenerate geese!

You had to know this would happen.

Sailor couldn’t take it anymore and swam out to say hello. What’s a boy to do.

Well this isn’t going well.

What we have here is a failure to communicate.

Wild Wednesday … Green Heron

Posted on February 1, 2017 by foresterartist

green heron, heron, wildlife, birds, birding, photography

A green heron is one of our less common residents around the mill.

Wild Wednesday … Waiting For Fish

Posted on January 11, 2017 by foresterartist

Scanning the Sacramento River, this bald eagle is fishing for breakfast.

I saw the eagle perched near the boat ramp scanning the river. I couldn’t get a clear picture that wasn’t full of branches. I slid down the bank next to the water. Slid being the operative word, since I almost took a morning dip. I had a clear view for this shot. The eagle never gave me a look. I wasn’t a fish!

Perched in the tree tops beside the river waiting for a fish.

Wild Wednesday … Northern Goshawk

Posted on March 23, 2016 by foresterartist

A Northern Goshawk fledgling ready to fight, in pen and ink.

My inspiration can be found at “forestry-friday-the-critical-period.”

Wild Wednesday … Quail Sentry

Posted on December 9, 2015 by foresterartist

quail, California Valley Quail, pen and ink, pen, ink, drawing, wildlife

California Valley Quail on sentry duty. Pen and Ink.

It’s tough being a prey item. California valley quail deal with this fact of life by having a sentry to watch over the covey. He’s not much for defending the covey, but will sound a pretty good alarm.