Bob & I made an appointment to have Shak3 serviced at the original manufacturer, Northwoods, in La Grande, OR 6 months in advance for a mid April appointment. This was the first annual service for our new home.
As we rushed from Ashland to La Grande after completing the sale of the house, car, etc, we had the most extraordinary experience in the Northwoods parking lot. Just feet away from our trailer parked in an industrial parking lot, were a pair of dark morphed Swainson's Hawks.These birds migrate all the way from Argentina!! They amazingly have great fidelity to their natal nesting sites and will continue to return to the same areas year after year no matter the condition of the environment. We were shocked to see these incredibly beautiful hawks mating and nesting in this sterile industrial human environment. At one point, we witnessed the mating of the male and female Swainson's.
Swainson in flight around the parking lot
Swainsons mating across the street from the parking lot where we were parked
Male Swainson's Hawk
Once our trailer was in for service we had time to explore La Grande, OR. We found an amazing multi-agency run refuge called Ladd Marsh. It includes over 6,000 acres of the largest remaining wetlands in northeast Oregon.
It looks like these Black-necked Stilts might be making a nest
Male Cinnamon Teal
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Male and Female Redheads
The Great Horned Owl has an owlet just peaking out of the nest!!
We have never heard so many American Bitterns as our walk in Ladd Marsh needless to say seeing so many of them flying! Maybe because of mating season?
Lovely:)
Who is this?
I added a few photos that were intended to be included. Ladd Marsh is a special place!
In Joy,
B&B
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