[wisb] Harrier at Bender - Milw Co

From: Betsyacorn@xxxxxxx
To: wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:40:48 EST
In preparation for this Saturday's Hales Corners  CBC, and for the second 
day in a row, I observed a juvenile northern harrier at  the Bender Park 
prairie in SE Milw. Co.  Yesterday, while walking, I was  allowed excellent 
looks at a Kestrel carrying a vole just fifteen feet or so  away at its closest 
point.  I followed the kestrel with bins and was  surprised to see a raptor 
lift off from atop the bluff above me, and give chase.  It was a juvenile 
harrier, and though they disappeared beyond the bluff, it did  appear that the 
harrier was gaining on the kestrel.  

I returned to  Bender this evening to see if there are any short eared owls 
this year, only to  be greeted by the constant calls of a harrier.  A first 
for me to hear  one.  I watched as a juvenile harrier called and repeatedly 
flew circles  around a large deciduous tree on a hedgerow in the prairie.  
Another raptor  was calling from atop this tree, and though I could not 
identify it, I figured  it was the cause of the flying harrier's activity.  
Turns out that the  object of both the circling and the second raptor's calling 
was a great horned  owl, very well camouflaged and lower in the tree. 

Betsy Abert, SE Milw  Co.  

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[wisb] Harrier at Bender - Milw Co

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