Last Friday I traveled out-of-town to Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area, just outside Columbia, Missouri. I had never visited here before, so I wasn’t sure what I would find. But recent reports indicated quite a few birds were migrating into the area. Of particular interest, it had been reported that several Short-Eared Owls had been very active there, often beginning their evening hunting ritual well before sunset.
Unfortunately, the weather took a drastic turn, temperatures plummeted (morning temps in single digits!), strong winds developed, and ice began forming over the area’s many pools. Consequently, the Short-Eared Owls remained hidden in the vast marshy grass and did not openly hunt. But there were plenty of other birds on the wetlands. One of my favorites was the American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos):
Over the next few posts, I will feature some more wildlife from Eagle Bluffs CA.