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Monday September 18, 2006 4:20 PM Lethbridge
A. Morning Musings
4:20 PM We are back in Lethbridge, after driving from Edmonton this morning and arriving about 1 PM.
B. Plan
No further plans for the day.
Immediate Health Walk & exercise 1 hr Puzzles The Orange Puzzle Cube: puzzle #7 Technology add keywords to iPhoto records 1 hr Birds Add June birds to North American data base 1 hr History Continue reading "Citizens" 1 hr Mathematics Read "The Computational Beauty of Nature" Chap 3 1 hr Literature Continue reading "All the Men Are Sleeping" 1 hr Read "In Praise of Folly" by Erasmus 1 hr Read "The Art of Living" by Epictetus 1 hr Read "The Song of Roland" 1 hr Science Make notes for "Science and the Akashic Field" by Ervin Laszlo 1 hr Later Chores Investigate water softeners for home 1 hr Technology Read manual for cell phone 1 hr Make notes for chap. 4 of "Switching to the Mac" 2 hr Begin reading "iPhoto" 1 hr digital photography - learn about using the various manual settings Mathematics Larson "Calculus" Gardner "The Colossal Book of Short Puzzles" History Watson "Ideas" Model Trains Build oil refinery diorama: add ground cover Add blue backdrop to layout Assemble second oil platform kit Redraw diagram for Lower Mainline control panel Wire Lower Mainline turnouts
C. Actual/Notes
4:40 PM We saw a number of raptors in the sky while driving to and from Edmonton this weekend, but are not able to identify them from sight yet. I am going to try creating a table to help. It is frustrating to see one and then say "there 's another raptor" and have no idea what it was.
Size Size (inches) Status Golden Eagle 76 - 102 cm Very Large 4 30 - 40 3 - uncommon 2 - 2.3 m Bald Eagle 76 - 109 cm Very Large 4 30 - 43 3 - uncommon 1.7 m - 2.4 m Red-tailed Hawk 51 - 56 cm Large 3 20 - 22 1 - very common 117 - 147 cm Swainson's Hawk 51 - 56 cm Large 3 20 - 22 2 - common 132 cm Osprey 56 - 64 cm Large 3 22 - 25 3 - uncommon 137 - 183 cm Rough-legged Hawk 48 - 61 cm Large 3 19 - 24 3 - uncommon 122 - 142 cm Northern Goshawk
58 - 64 cm Large 3 23 - 25 4 - rare 109 - 119 cm Gyrfalcon 56 - 64 cm Large 3 22 - 25 4 - rare 130 - 137 cm Ferruginous Hawk 56 - 69 cm Large 3 22 - 27 4 - rare 142 cm Northern Harrier 41 - 61 cm Medium 2 16 - 24 2 - common 112 - 119 cm Cooper's Hawk 43 - 48 cm Medium 2 17 - 19 3 - uncommon 81 - 94 cm Prairie Falcon 43 - 46 cm Medium 2 17 - 18 3 - uncommon 104 - 109 cm Sharp-shinned Hawk
30 - 36 cm Medium 2 12 - 14 3 - uncommon 61 - 71 cm Peregrine Falcon 43 - 48 cm Medium 2 17 - 19 4 - rare 109 - 117 cm Broad-winged Hawk 36 - 48 cm Medium 2 14 - 19 4 - rare 81 - 99 cm American Kestrel 19 - 20 cm 1 7 - 8 2 - common 51 - 61 cm Merlin 25 - 30 cm 1 10 - 12 3 - uncommon 58 - 66 cm
Golden Eagle Dark wingtips, dark rear-wing edge Bald Eagle White head; dark body Red-tailed Hawk Rufous tail Swainson's Hawk Pointed wing-tips, dark rear-wing edge; brownish head white body Osprey dark & white underparts Rough-legged Hawk White underside with a dark spot on each wing as well as a dark belly Northern Goshawk
Short-winged, long tail. Gyrfalcon Ferruginous Hawk White underside Northern Harrier White band on upper tail; Dark wingtips, dark rear-wing edge; white body. Usually seen flying low over fields or marshes Cooper's Hawk Reddish-brown & white body. Has a large head. Tail is rounded. Often perches on fence posts or poles. Short-winged, long tail. Prairie Falcon light underbody & wings; darker near front of wings Sharp-shinned Hawk
front half of wings reddish brown & white; back half black & white. Similar in appearance to Cooper's Hawk. Has a small head. Tail is square. Short-winged, long tail. Only perches on tree branches. Peregrine Falcon Broad-winged Hawk American Kestrel 2 black moustache stripes; rusty back & tail Merlin light body with brown streaks: dark brown or grey back
I will print these two table out and put them in the car where I can refer to them when the occasion arises.
Reviewing the table, I am encouraged. I am able to identify the Golden Eagle, the Bald Eagle, the Red-tailed Hawk, the Osprey, the Northern Harrier, the American Kestral and the Merlin.
Even better, we are both certain, after looking at our books, that we saw a Swainson's Hawk today. The rufous head and white underbelly were the distinguishing features.
D. Reflection