By Crystal Doyle, New York
A local raptor expert and friend, David, has been catching, banding, and releasing raptors near Rochester, New York, for twenty-five years. He is especially interested in aiding the tracking and research on snowy owls—stunningly beautiful white owls with bright yellow eyes and bristly feather-covered beaks.
By Elyce E. Singleton, New Jersey
I was driving to work and spied a little bird on the dividing line between lanes. Concerned for its safety, I quickly doubled back to the spot.
By Sibylle Saunders, Vermont
My husband Tom and I went hiking on a beautiful Vermont fall day. We made the decision to hike to a nearby pond where we heard a number of birds. We didn’t recognize one of the bird sounds from across the pond. The bird got closer and closer. Was it a cardinal? A warbler?
By Patrick Dongvillo, Oregon
I was driving home on a stormy night, when my headlights suddenly outlined a solitary goose standing in the farm’s driveway. This goose shouldn’t be here. It’s supposed to be in the barn, I thought. With the safety of the farm, domestic geese never really learn to fly; they just become fat and happy. So this lone goose would likely be a sitting duck for some hungry coyote.
By Bree Renz, California
I was taking a photo workshop at a nature center that rescues injured wild animals. If the animal can be treated and completely healed, it is released back into the wilds. If it won’t be able to survive, it can live out the rest of its life at the center.
By Carol Sims, California
Recently I was in my front yard discussing bush removal with Tom, my landscaper. I happened to glance between our house and the one next door and saw a beautiful white hen.