Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017

We had some play time this weekend. We just found out about
some cooperative long-eared owls up at Maple Rive State Game Area so we did a
little trip up there Saturday morning. With the help of someone that already had the owls staked out
we got nice views of them. The pictures are not too good since they like to
roost back in the pines behind all the branches. We drove the area and got some
other good species like harriers and rough-legged hawks too. Our 2017 species
counts now stand at 79 for me and 73 for Lise.

Long-eared owl. These are right handsome birds.

After our little birding adventure we drove down to Ann
Arbor for a water polo tournament. Yet another season for us to live
vicariously through our daughter has begun. Molly came down with bronchitis so
she only played in the first game on Saturday. I went back down Sunday to take
more pictures of the team. Where else am I going to be able to take 500
pictures at a sitting? This is one instance where I am really glad I’m not
shooting film anymore. Good thing there is a delete key.