Finally ! ! ! !

Today one of the swainson's hawks that has been here since mid November is finally flying free. I took her out to a nearby ranch, way back off the road, and released her. She wouldn't come out of the crate, when I looked in she was sitting on her butt daring me to touch her. I had my camera all ready to catch a release photo so put that down, got on my leather glove, and hauled her out. Unfortunately they never head the direction I aim them for or expect them to go. She zoomed around the opposite side of the truck and took off. By the time I got the camera lens on her the result is the photo above. You can't tell what kind of bird but you can see just how strong her wings are. She came here with all her flight and tail feathers either broken off or missing so she had to stay for a molt. Today, with the exception of one tail feather, she is feather perfect.

I have yet another swainson's to release but her feathers aren't quite there yet so she'll go in a few weeks. These birds came from Riverton and Lander but as they are only a year old I didn't have to return them to where they came from. I certainly hope they survive to old age.