Towheeblog

Many young birds brave violent death in their early days.  Wood Ducks only a few days old must leap from a cavity nest in a tree, sometimes thirty feet up, bounce on the ground and then follow mom to the nearest water when they can still barely run and not fly a bit.  Then they have to dodge Blue Herons, otter and other predators when they are little more than a bite full.

Marbled Murrelets are born high in redwoods and other old growth conifers along the Pacific Coast of North America.  Sometimes they are ten miles inland from the Pacific itself.  When it is time to leave those nests the young murrelets have never flown before, nor have they ever been in water.  They must make it all the way to the ocean on the first and only  chance they get, wings beating, heart at full throttle.

But here is video of young Barnacle Geese, leaping from their nest site high on sea-side cliffs, rocks and sharks and sea lions and other fans of goose flesh waiting below.

I am offering a birding day in early May in the Klamath Basin.  It is being auctioned off by Klamath Bird Observatory as part of their fall fund-raising gala.  You can go to the KBO website to bid on items before the gala…like that brilliant trip to Klamath when we hope to see dancing grebes on Klamath Lake. Click here for link to online auction for myriad cool bird-related items.