Feeding the Raptors!

Okay, so a few weeks ago my family and I visited a science center to look at their large birds of prey (which will be referred to as raptors, partly because that's what large birds of prey can be called, and mostly because I love to pretend we went to see dinosaurs being fed. Muahaha XD )

(Don't forget to click on the images to make them bigger!)

First we saw a peregrine falcon. He was an extremely cute little guy – he stood right up close to the bars staring back at me and my family. :)

Next up, a barred owl – one of my very favorite types of owls. Look at those beautiful silvery stripes! 

A sleepy Screech Owl.

I was so excited about this next one – a bald eagle!

Some interesting facts about bald eagles:

• Young juveniles (like this one) don't get their white heads until adulthood. Because of this, many people confuse golden eagles with young bald eagles.

• Bald eagles actually love playing in the water! (Hence, this eagle chillin' in a kiddie pool)

• The owning of eagle feathers is illegal in the United States. As our guide explained, if it were legal to own eagle feathers, it would encourage more people to poach eagles for their feathers. Any loose feathers that this eagle sheds, the science center has to collect and send to the government.

In the next cage, right beside the eagle, was a Saw-Whet Owl, one of the smallest owl types in North America. This was rather cute because the eagle was huge, and the Saw-Whet was a tiny stripey smudge in the back of his cage.

Our guide pulled out a stuffed claw of a vulture and an owl for the group to look at up close. I was so excited to be able to touch and hold a real owl talon! The claws on it were wickedly sharp.

A bit later, she also handed around a real owl wing. I was ecstatic at this! I've always wanted a close-up look of any bird's wing.

And, a shot of – I think it was a Spotted Owl? – eating a mouse. Sorry, squeamish readers, but it really was an interesting process watching it swallow its prey whole. X)

As we were leaving the center, I spotted a butterfly around the bushes near the front entrance. What a beautiful orange flame amidst a sea of green!

So, that was my weekend!

x x x