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We had one of those rare sunny days yesterday and I took the opportunity to freeze my fingers off at the Rawlins Road access to the Fish and Game area on Fir Island.  The sun was bright but the air was cold and there was a slight breeze blowing.  I sat for about an hour and a half hoping either a Northern Harrier or a Short-eared owl (or maybe both!) would land close to me.  I saw only harriers and they all gave me a wide berth. 

The marginally hospitable piece of driftwood on which I was perched finally told me I had been there long enough so I began my long trudge back to the car.  On my way back I encountered a Short-eared owl sitting on a small vertical stick.  I began taking photos as I approached but it seemed oblivious to my presence.  It finally flew, but only to mix it up with another raptor that was flying over and it quickly returned to the same stick!  Eventually it returned to the hunt and I continued my trip to the vehicle. 

A short time later I was driving around Fir Island and I encountered this American Kestrel, and as usual in the farmland in this county it was sitting on a wire instead of in a tree.  But I've found kestrels very sensitive to approach by vehicles so I'll take what I can get.