hawks

Category

By Jordan Lake Neighborhood, 5 photos 01/30/2019
The golden hour gilds not only bald eagles, but red-shouldered hawks too.
 
This juvenile was very intent on something across the swampy part of the cove.
 
 
His interest pegged up a notch and he tapped his foot in anticipation.
 
 
His kee-ah, kee-ah call announced his growing impatience and readiness to hunt.
 
 
He glanced intently at me, making very certain I was watching – all youngsters want attention!
 
 
Then he launched and I wished him luck on his hunt.

By Jordan Lake Dam Neighborhood, 4 photos 11-18-2018
Time for a Ramble in the Jordan Lake Neighborhood
 
The Cooper’s hawk is small, swift and often takes medium-sized birds while in flight.
 
 
 
Cedar waxwings are winter visitors here.
They love cedar berries and you can see the red “wax” at the inside lower edge of this one’s wing.
 
 
 
 
 
The first time I saw a Bonaparte gull I thought it was some species of tern.
These are dancers just above the water as they hunt for fish.
 
 
 
 
Immature great blue herons often look like they are feathered in a wash made from grey and pink pearls.
 
 

By doc ellen’s front yard raptor 5/18/2018
I was sitting at my computer yesterday, editing photos.
My cat Grayced was lying just inside the picture window.
Suddenly Grayced levitated off his cushion and I stopped breathing when this red-tailed hawk appeared within 2 feet of the window.
This is actually the second pass of the hawk as he tried for a songbird at my feeder – I didn’t have camera in hand for the first pass.
The red-tailed hawk missed the songbird.  About stopped my heart.  Scared my cat silly.
Whew!!!!!

By JL Neighborhood 1st Day of Spring, 3 photos, 03/20/2018
First Day of Spring in the Jordan Lake Neighborhood
 
It was wet, grey, windy and the eagle nests hard to photograph, so …
 
A very wet bedraggled Cooper’s hawk paused on a post to try to dry his feathers.
 
 
The maples were resplendent with their winged seeds.
 
 
And a single raindrop caught my attention as it glittered against a dark green boldly veined leaf and reflected the surrounding trees.
 
 
 
 

By JL Neighborhood Visit 6 photos 02/07/2018
Its time to see what other birds, um, non-bald eagles are in the neighborhood.
 
Accipiters are fast hawks that chase other birds.
This is an immature Cooper’s hawk.
 
 
Just how many fish does this crow have in its beak?
 
 
Sometimes going away gives a spectacular view – this is a ring-billed gull.
 
 
The waters of the lake make a beautiful backdrop for this male eastern bluebird.
 
 
The American pipit is a winter visitor and a new bird for my Life List.
 
 
I almost always hear a killdeer before I see it and I better be looking quick for they zip past in a hurry.