Banded Bird....and birds eating birds....

Finally the weather has stabilized and today was almost spring like.  The morning started off interesting as when my husband went for his normal walk at the estuary he noticed some blood drops on the snow, which led him to...

the remains of this young hawk....we weren't sure if it was a Sharp Shin or a Coopers.  Not sure what would kill a hawk....would an eagle do that?  Don't know.  All that remained of the bird was the tail, wings, legs and head.  The bird was banded (#1115-06737) so I reported it and from that learned that it was a Cooper's Hawk.  Will be interesting to find out where it was banded.

So this afternoon we went over to Harrison Bay...

the first time since the latest spat of winter weather.

I really don't know much about Northwestern Crows but they are obviously starting to pair up as this was just one of a couple of pairs we saw.

way out in the fields there were a lot of Canada Geese and other waterfowl.

a few of the regulars were out enjoying the sunshine like this Spotted Towhee...

while out on the bay itself...

that Bald Eagle was definitely hunting the American Coots while a few Swans watched from the ice.

the following photo was taken by my husband on one of the really miserable weather days we had last week.  When he drove by he counted over twenty...

Great Blue Heron in this field.  By the time he got back and pulled over, only a few were  left.