Getting Wild with Ed Dominguez, Seattle Naturalist - edomino.ed@gmail.com

 It's raptor fledging season!  All over our region juvenile eagles, hawks, osprey, falcons and owls are flying from their nests for the first time.  They are fun to watch as they work to master these two big appendages that we call wings!  Particularly in takeoffs and landings, they are prone to out of balance lurching and wobbling.  Although they will soon be masters of the skies, they are still totally dependent on their parents for food; raptor hunting and fishing are complex skill sets that will take several weeks for these youngsters to develop.  In Seward park we have 5 cooper's hawk juvies, two bald eagles youngsters, and two, possibly three barn owl young that are discovering their new world.  Join me this Thursday at 8:15 pm in Seward Park to watch the barn owls as they make their presence known through begging calls and short flights from their nest tree.  $25.00 per person please and email me edomino.ed@gmail.co...

 Last week was a wonderfully birdy day at Discovery Park so I thought it would be good for a repeat performance!  Hopefully our barred owl will still be hanging out in his usual area, the band-tailed pigeons will give us another long look, and the cedar waxwings will still be chowing down on twinberry honeysuckle.   Meet me in the south parking lot at 8:00 pm and let's explore!  As always, $25.00 per person, I'll provide binoculars, and please email me at edomino.ed@gmail.com to register.

Hope you all had a good 4th!  This week I have two outings for you:  Tuesday (7/6) I am offering a birding by ear outing...haven't visited Discovery Park for a couple of months so let's see who is singing there as we enjoy the beautiful vistas across the sound to the Olympics.  Meet in the south parking lot at 8:00 am.  Thursday (7/8) let's prowl for owls in Seward Park; the barn owl youngsters should be fledging now and our barred owl pair are always very visible.  Meet in front of the Audubon Center at 8:15 pm.  As always, please email me to register and the cost is $25.00 per person...such a deal! Hope to see you this week! Ed