Before The Wind

Sunday is to be a windy day which the weather people say will take the leaves down,so they suggest today and tomorrow we get pics of the gorgeous colors this year. I have 3 of these red/gold leaved trees which are just brilliant in color this Fall. I also have some of these purple red trees which are very toned down compared to the others.  My one tree by the garage is usually bright red but not quite there yet, hopefully it will turn before the leaves fall.

There is a New Man in Mom's Life

This morning on the Decorah nest there is a new male with mom bringing in sticks working on the nest for February when eggs are laid.  This is not the same one that showed up after Dad left.  I still believe the one after Dad disappeared was Bob Anderson in eagle form protecting the nest and babies for Dad.  He left when he knew the eaglets were gone and Mom was gonna be ok.  This new male is so handsome. I hope mom chose wisely as she will never find someone like Dad but... we can only hope this one comes close.  Stay tuned to see how it all unravels.

D27 Came Home for a Visit

Raptor Resource Project

21 mins ·

It looks like D27 visited our banding station on Thursday! We got a call from station master Dave Kester about an eagle that nearly came into one of our nets. While it avoided capture, Sophia noticed it had a backpack and band! We determined it was a second year eagle based on plumage, since a third-year eagle would have had more salt and pepper (dark and pale feathers), and a first year eagle (assuming it was from some other study) would have been darker. At about the same time, Brett let us know that D27 had arrived back in Decorah! We weren't able to track her directly to the station, since her transmitter was in off-cycle when we saw her. But the coordinates we do have put her right in the area. Way to go, D27!

Thanks to Sophia Landis for the photo. She digiscoped it through one of the windows of the banding blind - not an easy feat! We hope to see D27 again.

Tajiri is NOT Moving

From Animal Adventure Park:  Tajiri was to move soon but looks like he will be staying put and getting a wife soon.

In the interest of maintaining honesty, integrity and transparency, Animal Adventure Park must announce that it has unexpectedly cancelled the transfer of Tajiri the Giraffe. Requirements and deadlines were not satisfied in the given time frame to make the scheduled transfer by the end of this month possible.
As we've long stated, it is not ideal for Tajiri to remain in the same proximity as his parents, which has prompted the park's owner and contractors to work and plan quickly. Construction will begin Monday to erect the appropriate building to house Tajiri and a possible second giraffe or companion animal, for the colder months, and exhibition in the future. This exhibit will absorb a large portion of the anticipated Wilds of Asia expansion slated for a 2019 opening, likely now delayed. The park anticipates this project will take three to four weeks to reach completion. This will allow a timely transfer to the new space, prior to extreme cold weather, and give April the Giraffe ample time to prepare for her expected calf in 2019.

This decision was made late Thursday after thorough consideration and consultation with park ownership, park veterinarian, and park regulatory agencies, who all unanimously agree that this is the proper course of action. The safety, security and welfare of our animals remains priority number one, and we feel it is best at this time, to keep Tajiri in place, at home, at Animal Adventure Park.

An Afternoon in the Stacks

An Afternoon in the stacks
by Mary Oliver

Closing the book, I find I have left my head
inside. It is dark in here, but the chapters open
their beautiful spaces and give a rustling sound,
words adjusting themselves to their meaning.
Long passages open at successive pages. An echo,
continuous from the title onward, hums
behind me. From in here, the world looms,
a jungle redeemed by these linked sentences
carved out when an author traveled and a reader
kept the way open. When this book ends
I will pull it inside-out like a sock
and throw it back in the library. But the rumor
of it will haunt all that follows in my life.
A candleflame in Tibet leans when I move.

It's That Time of Year

As Summer and Fall duke it out we are having a lot of wind and wet sloppy rain today.  Later in the evening we may some of that white stuff for the first time this season.  The trees are beginning to turn.  My favorites the color is so vibrant.  I have 2 of these in my yard.

There is a sub-adult on the Y branch at N1 at Decorah this afternoon enjoying the snow.

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran is in town tonight and since I cant go to the concert I am just gonna enjoy his voice on YouTube tonight.  Listen with me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKzRIweSBLA&list=PLaq655wqcKDnUvTOizhqwNCiiF_grL1vh&index=1