Neglected but not forgotten

Wow!  So wish I had time to tell you about all the bird antics at my feeders!  Like the humming bird that recently claimed the feeder and keeps vigilant guard from a top the feeder staff.

But as you may know Nikela, our wildlife conservation and advocacy nonprofit to assist wildlife efforts in South Africa has taken over our lives.  A wonderful problem!

Please follow us as we head for South Africa next month to visit and learn from those dedicated conservationists and advocates that work tirelessly to save and protect the cheetah, leopard, rhino, elephant not to forget the beautiful raptors like the Bateleur and Afican Fish Eagle.

Follow us on:
Blog            http://www.nikela.org/
FaceBook   http://www.facebook.com/NikelaWildlife
Twitter        http://www.twitter.com/Nikela_Wildlife

Are You Feeding the Hawks?

Bird feeders all set up at our new spot south of Austin.  Okay birds I'm ready. 

Well, it wasn't long until the Inca Doves, Carolina Chickadee and a Tufted Titmouse or two came to visit.  As before I decided to use my tiny bird bath as a platform feeder and placed it in an open spot for the doves and Cardinals I'd spotted near by.

It was without warning that he swooped down and shot between the trees and our RV.  What was that? 

My husband looked out the side window.  There he was in the trees about twenty feet from us... a Coopers Hawk.

Coopers Hawks eat ground birds!... Yes, I moved my platform feeder and now I enjoy watching the Hawk fly and dive in the meadow behind us.

10 Myths About Bird Behavior

Read about the here
10 Myths About Bird Behavior - National Wildlife Federation

A Birders Nigthmare!

Sad photos from the tragedy that is playing out before our eyes in the Gulf. My hat off to the countless men and women who are giving it their all to save as many as they can.
See the photos... do what you can to help.

Scenes from the Gulf of Mexico - The Big Picture - Boston.com

They do stay in Texas!

This week found us at a new RV Park, south of Dripping Springs TX.  What a contrast!  Our last spot was upscale with pool, pavilion, workout room and over 200 sites.  Our new home is beautifully country, quiet, cedars to shade our rig, deer and only 30 sites.

Shortly after settling in a humming bird stopped by to visit my flowers. A humming bird?  I thought they headed north for the summer.  I was wrong.  The Black-Chinned Humming birds nests in the Hill Country.

Needless to say I got my feeder out and here's who comes by daily.

I even caught that iridecent violet of the male on camera.

Isn't she something?  Let's make sure those birds that are at risk get a fighting chance too.  You can do something to help... buy your birding essentials from our RV Birding Store and have them delivered right to where you are.  I really like that feature! 

The Rest of the Killdeer Story...

It was more than two weeks, closer to three and no babies! Mama was feeding a few feet away from her nest... and there almost invisible lay the two speckled eggs.

That night a storm came in, a whopping storm that created sheets of water running thru our site and the park. What about the Killdeer?

The next day as we walked by the Killdeer site... nothing! Only little tiny moraines of debris remained suggesting a lot of water had washed thru.

What about the eggs?

Mama and Papa were close by. She ran and sat, ran and sat. While he flew about vocalizing loudly working hard at distracting us.

We looked, but no sign of babies or eggs. I was sad. After all that fuss and care and they still didn't make it.
(Missed the first of the story?  Read about how business and nature can co-exist.)

We stopped by the office and wait! Ed had spotted the babies. Tiny little feathered bodies with long legs and so camouflaged he almost stepped on one. Somehow, eggs or babies made it thru the storm. Hallelujah!

- Photo by ram.rom82 at http://deafpagancrossroads.com/2008/05/06/i-brake-for-killdeer

(I didn't catch a photo myself)

Try as we might, we never did see the babies, but Mama and Papa still linger around the lake and somewhere in the brush two little Killdeer chicks wait till there wings are strong enough to take flight and start the cycle all over again.

Missed the first of the story?  Read about it here...

Bird Release Cruise...Wow!

"Just get dressed, grab your camera and get in the car."  That's all the information I got as I was drug off on my Mother's Day gift trip.  For month's my daughter had been telling me that she had this amazing trip planned but couldn't tell me just when it was going to be?!
It was finally here... what ever "it" was. 

It turned out to be one of the most spectacular experiences you can imagine!  A bird release cruise.

70 plus people, consisting of families, bird lovers, philanthropists, a journalist, the staff from Last Chance Forever in San Antonio, and two red tailed hawks boarded the river cruiser.

See some amazing bird close ups on our You Tube Channel

After traveling up river watching herons fishing, terns on logs, pelicans watching a fishing boat, egrets flying and even a young colt suckling from her mother on the shore we reached release point one.  The skipper turned the ship with tail end to a densely wooded shoreline and we all watched in anticipation as the juvenile Red Tailed Hawk was brought on top.

This young hawk was brought to the center with head injuries and a lame foot.  After weeks of tender care by Doctor Hill he was now fit as a fiddle and ready to live free once more. 

One lucky traveller was drawn to assist John from Last Chance to give the bird his final farewell boost as he left his hands and flew for the trees.  The crowd cheered and stood in awe at what had just happened.

See some amazing bird close ups on our You Tube Channel

As we started for the second release point John shared stories and answered questions.  Then it was time.  The second Red Tailed Hawk was brought up and a young nine year old girl was the delighted pick to help John bid this beauty her final goodbye.  This time the crowed cheered even more as the bird seemed to look back from her perch in the tree in thank you before she flew further into the trees.

What an adventure!  I will forever be changed by the experience of looking directly into the eyes of these birds who seemed to know they where whisked away from deaths door by people who cared and now where free once more.

Look into their eyes on our You Tube Channel.