If you are driving on an interstate or a divided 4-lane highway, dont forget to look for raptors!
As I have written in past blogs, winter is a great time to look for raptors. With no leaves on the trees it is so much easier to see them when they are perched on a branch. And interstates and divided highways are great places to look – as long as someone else is driving.
Cleon and I drove about 15 miles on a divided highway yesterday here in central Illinois. This highway has large agricultural fields on each side – corn and soybeans, Right now, the fields are bare – except for the 3-4 inches of remaining snow. There are areas of trees along the highway. It was 16 degrees F and overcast. As Cleon drove, I looked for raptors and on that stretch of highway, I saw 4 Red-tailed Hawks – 3 were perched on top of the light poles that are at the exits. 1 was soaring over the wide strip of mown vegetation dividing the 4 lanes. I also saw a Northern Harrier soaring low over one of the fields – fairly close to the highway. That bunny tail and long, pointed wings is always the giveaway for an ID. And an American Kestrel was sitting in one of the trees close to the side of the road. So a good count for 15 miles! 4 Hawks, 1 Harrier and 1 Kestrel! A great way to pass the time!
