Favoritos de featherenthusiast

My friend was walking and came upon this 4 ft Black Rat Snake coiled around a juvenile Broad-Wing Hawk. The Hawk was unconscious. He and his wife picked up the duo with a towel and untangled the snake. The snake had a small wound near the tail so he surmised that the hawk likely attacked the snake, but bit the wrong end. Big mistake! Rat Snakes are constrictors. The snake slithered away seemingly unaffected. The hawk took approx 20 minutes to recuperate and fly away. Happy ending for the snake - lesson learned we hope for the hawk.
The hawk had a purple band on its leg, but we don't know who tagged it.
A separate observation has been logged for the snake.

I was absolutely ecstatic to have even seen a pacific jumping mouse but was even more shocked when it allowed me to take photos on my phone up close for a few minutes as it fed. This individual still had awareness but didn’t seem super bothered by my presence. I’ve been wanting to observe this species for a while and I’m so happy to have gotten this experience.

Edit: Saw a different individual in the same spot today (9/27/23, 1:20 PM). Glad to see population activity.

Gular Pouch
Close-up of that gular pouch. I researched and found that the females develop this at the same time their colors turn red. They use it to display to the males. When they have a mate, nest and eggs, the red color goes away and so does the pouch. It is there for about 10 days, very briefly during the height of breeding season. The males turn red but they don't get the pouch.

Purple Martins Like To People Watch
This brought back childhood memories when we had a martin house in our backyard. The birds liked to sit outside their nests and watch us play below. These were watching me stand below and take photos of them.

While the flock ate grass, one of the large individual, possibly a male, stood watch. It honked when I got close.

I noticed something white on the top of its head. At first, I thought it was snow. But after reviewing the photos, I realized they were feathers!

this observation is a Found Feather that was on the lawn/ leaf litter beneath the live oaks where two barred owls have visited regularly this summer. I include measured (11 cm) photos of the front and back of the feather, as well as a photo of the two owls on the day before I found the feather. This feather was so curvy and lively - it moved even in the light air currents of the room, so I could not take a Back view. The second view is a side view.