Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Raptor Fest - Part 3

My final post on the Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Raptor Fest includes this male dark morph Short-Tailed Hawk named Arnold.

Short-Tailed Hawk

Arnold is a rescue, with severe injuries to his wings. If I remember correctly, he was likely hit by a car. Due to his injuries, he now serves as an educational wildlife ambassador. All the raptors who reside at Boyd Hill are rescues and unreleasable.

Short-Tailed Hawk

Short-Tailed Hawk

Short-Tailed Hawk

This little male American Kestrel held court as his handler patiently answered endless questions from the crowd.

American Kestrel

American Kestrel

I've only had quick glimpses of Swallow-Tailed Kites in the wild, so I was happy to see this one up close.

Swallow-Tailed Kite

You can see her right wing isn't quite right, and this is why she is captive. These birds breed in Florida, but there have been sightings of them all along the East Coast, so there's a possibility of seeing one in the NYC area.

Swallow-Tailed Kite

Swallow-Tailed Kite

One bird native to our area is the (Eastern) Screech Owl.

Screech Owl

Screech Owl

Screech owls come in red and gray morphs - red is shown in the photo above, and this is a grumpy little gray morph.

Screech Owl

They're both cute and fierce.

Screech Owl

A lot of people vied for positions to get pics of this Barn Owl. This photo doesn't do its ghostly plumage justice. In person, the bird looked so ethereal.

Barn Owl

One of my favorites is the Great Horned Owl. They are common and widespread, but I never tire of seeing their bright yellow eyes.

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl

This dark-eyed beauty is a Barred Owl.

Barred Owl

This owl resides at the Preserve, but she has a wild "mate" who has bonded with her. Despite the crowd of people and so many birds of prey present, this wild owl perched in a tree and kept an eye on his lady friend. 🩷

Barred Owl

You can learn more about Boyd Hill Nature Preserve and what they do here. I highly recommend it for seeing wildlife and enjoying a unique and accessible natural environment.
 

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