Migrating Bird Transiting Moon...

[Scott Manly]

Missed my chances last month to see and photograph the migration in front of the full moon.  Got my chance tonight.  I had actually paused to look at a newly brightened comet (www.spaceweather.com) and then turned my camera-scope setup to the moon.  As I was just about to quit, a larger form passed over rather slowly in front of the moon (me thinks an owl up high), and I was then motivated to wait and try.  Much harder than I would hope.  Had 7 passers in all, and only one was slow enough (high enough) to snap.
 
http://www.grovestreet.com/jsp/picview.jsp?album=71650&view=detail&sort=date_added&ord=desc&showtrash=1
 
Sure wish I could have snapped a picture of that first "owl".
 
Have also had a number of Merlin sightings at my "raptor perch" across the Grand River from my house this Fall (maybe 10 + sightings).  On sunday morning, I was out watching the Orionid Meteor Shower laying down on the Ionia Rivertrail bridge some 30 feet above the Grand River.  Saw 60+ shooting stars and had one meteor leave a lasting, glowing "train" that I decided a minute or more later to photograph.  
 
http://www.grovestreet.com/jsp/picview.jsp?album=83305&view=detail&sort=date_added&ord=desc&showtrash=1
 
That shot is one of the only frames I also have of Orionids meteors.  But, while I was enjoying all that, I was treated to a pair of Great Horned Owls hooting just inside the trees on either side of the river.  3 times I saw one of their shadowy forms flying low across the river, and one of those times happened to be directly over my head!!  Surreal to say the least.
 
Good birding (and stargazing!),
Scott Manly,
Ionia, MI
 
 
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