Wednesday, September 10, 2014

The importance of keeping the camera handy and the windows clean

 ...because you just never know what you might see...


...while you're waiting for the coffee to be ready...


 ...and it's liable to disappear before you have a chance to run outside.

p.s. I think it's a hawk of some kind.



24 comments:

  1. Looks like a Coopers hawk to me and it's a pretty one! Maybe s/he's around because of all the greenery this year.

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  2. After some careful photo analysis, courtesy of Wikipedia, that appears to be a Cooper's hawk. The yellow skin around the beak is the differentiator. Very cool!

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  3. Going by the bars on the tail, I'm thinking either a Coopers Hawk or a Sharpshinned Hawk. Fantastic shots

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  4. he resembles the hawk that has eaten all of our song birds...

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  5. Yes it's a hawk and it could be after your chickens.

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  6. It looks like a hawk to me too. I love how they float in the air. I think they are looking for
    mice or rodents since they have perfect eyesight. I wish I had hawk-eyes. Nice, clear pics, Carson.

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  7. Looks like a Cooper's Hawk.... Nice catch...:)

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  8. And he turned to look at you while in flight. Hope he comes back.

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  9. An immature Cooper's Hawk I believe, but could be a Sharp-shinned hawk, they look very similar.
    Either way, a beautiful bird and beautiful pictures.

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  10. Beautiful sight to see!

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  11. Thanks, all you hawk watchers! All the chickens are present and accounted for so there's nothing to worry about ... today anyway.

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  12. Coopers and Sharpshins won't bother your chickens. Lizards, snakes, small birds, rats and mice are foods of choice---all of which you have at 7MSN. :)

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  13. Stunning hawk. We have beautiful red tail hawks in our area. Those will keep the pesky critters out of your space. Happy Hump Day!

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  14. Waw, 7MSN is really an oasis for a lot of fauna. I forbid this hawk to touch Johnny CC

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  15. A Cooper's can't pack off a full sized chicken (they can get bantams) but that doesn't mean it won't try. They are very bold.

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  16. One of my faves: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3n4BPPaaoKc
    Thanks for the visual to go with it today :-)

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  17. After going to www.allaboutbirds.org, based on their descriptions of the Cooper's Hawk and the Sharp-shinned Hawk, I would venture to guess this is a Sharp-shinned Hawk. It is so much harder to tell the difference between these two hawks from afar. But, noting the notch at the tip of the tail is enough to sell me on the Sharp-shinned Hawk.

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  18. An American in Tokyo9/10/14, 7:18 PM

    Beautiful! I think the third picture is my favorite!

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  19. Maybe he was watching Johnny Cat or the chickens, it may not be able to carry them off but can eat them on the spot or do some real harm.

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  20. Oh yes I've learned to keep my camera with me. You don't get do overs on shots like you captured.

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  21. Yes, that's a Cooper's hawk. I know because we have one that goes after the doves I feed in our yard. The parents have been in the neighborhood now for about 4 years and this is one of the juveniles. The tail feathers give it away. Now he likes to come, dive bomb the doves, and then stand in the bird bath!
    Cheryl Ann

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