After seeing quite a lot of birds coming to the feeder and my daughter talking about doing her bird counts for the ebird list I said I ought to do that to...so I got set up with mostly back yard count listing and was ready to put in my first entries to ebird...
That's when I started having Squirrel problems and I just happened to see another reason for the lack of birds hanging around!
I was heading out for my walk, with camera of course ,and at the end of my driveway I stopped to look for cars, and as I turned to the right to look up hill.... way in the top of a big high maple I could see a bird larger then most so I walked toward that area!!
Sure enough there set the culprit
From his perch be could scope out both mine and the neighbors
feeders !!
I could tell it was a Hawk as he set as stiff and still as he could ..
not even my presence from the road fazed him !
I wanted to get close, but thick brush and distance grrrr...I was able to walk up on a neighbors property
to get a better view..I wanted to see his head...I couldn't tell if it was shadowed or just dark colored!
Occasionally he would turn just his head like it was on a swivel, but still couldn't tell!
After about 10 minutes of this he had enough I guess,and he flew of through those branches like there was nothing there at lightning speed he was gone..I just clicked away hoping for something !!
I was surprised to find I had gotten this one!!
I found that it is a" Cooper's Hawk", the notorious back yard feeder bird watcher!!
Know to be amongst the most skillful fliers,he can swoop through your back yard at a high rate of speed , in hot pursuit of our most favorite feeder birds!!
Well natural will take it course, and these magnificent raptors have to eat to so I am okay with that!!
It has taken me awhile to come to gripes with that...I just hope I am not looking when it happens !! : }
That last picture is perfect. Yes,I know they too,have to eat,but can he please eat somewhere else and not at my feeders.If he does catch a bird,I hope you get to capture the action with the camera.
ReplyDeleteIt seems many of us are seeing these guys lately. It must be that they are always there but we can see them better in the winter trees. Yesterday and today, the coopers has visited my back yard ... swooped right down and sat on my feeder pole not 15 feet from my office window. Fortunately, do one was lunch!
ReplyDeleteHi Grace,
ReplyDeleteLooks a bit like `our` Sparrowhawk in the U.K. It is part of the same family (the Accipter genus) and obviously has the same tactics of staking out bird feeders. We have one visit our garden fairly regularly and have seen it take Collared Doves, Chaffinches and even a Song Thrush on one occasion!
I don`t mind, it`s all part of natures rich tapestry!
J
Follow me at HEDGELAND TALES
feeders make great food magnets for raptors. :)
ReplyDeleteVery nice photos. You did well capturing him.
ReplyDeleteSuperb shots. It's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteNice photos ! We have Cooper and Red tailed Hawks here but they arent the culprits to our lack of back yard birds, this year its the crazy weather and the fact that each year our villgae gets more and more stray cats wandering around and lurking in the hedges near the feeders ! I also do a bird count for a club we have here called the Hamilton Naturalists Club heres thieir web site if your interested.http://www.hamiltonnature.org/ We have a few members in our photography club ! Hope your back yard birds return ! Have a wonderful day !
ReplyDeleteAh-ha! So THAT's the culprit. I don't think I've ever seen a Cooper's hawk, and I don't want to see one in my yard!
ReplyDeleteHi Grace,
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult to come to terms with. They are beautiful birds and of course they do need to eat.
I have a Sparrowhawk in the copse at the moment. I have found many a plucked sparrow and blue tit there. He is treating my bird feeders like a gourmet restaurant.....but hey that is life, is it not my friend??
Lovely captures.....just wish my raptor would sit while I took pics :)
Cooper's Hawk is amazing bird, I wished that they was here, never mind. They stayed about 15 minutes, that is really good. Brilliant photos.
ReplyDeleteNice to discover what was the problem and you got some good shots GG. Hope it doesn't come back, although I doubt that.
ReplyDeleteWonderful captures Grace...
ReplyDeleteYour hawk loos so similar to our Sparrowhawk.. I can be sat just enjoying watching my garden birds on the feeders...then whoosh!
It's aweful to see when it happens but after a while I realise how wonderful it is to see nature in action..
Take care xxx
HI Ruth...thanksso much!!
ReplyDeleteReena...I can imagine I'm not the only one like you said you have them ..I hate to think I am setting the bait!! thanks!
Hi John...all part of being a bird person ..kinda have to get used to it...thanks!!
Teresa...ya.. kinda like I'm setting the bait though! : }
Thanks a lot John!!
Thanks Adrian..
Elaine...cats are not much of a problem around my area..a lot of people own indoor cats..that to bad I actually feel bad for the cats thanks!!
Jean ...are you saying i have to go get that Hawk ..I sent him down to see you lol..thanks!!
Cheryl....it is all part of how the system works ...none of us
would be here if we didn't eat ; }
Thanks!
Hi Bob...thanks do much my friend!!
Hey Roy...things are back to normal "so far" , but he could be lurking around somewhere!!
Thanks !!
Nice that you caught a good flight photo--not easy to do amongst all the branches. I haven't had trouble with hawks at my feeders but a couple years ago I had a Northern Shrike hang around for the winter, which is rare here. I only saw him capture one of the little Redpolls but it was right in front of my kitchen window. And, yes, I felt like I was operating a bait station for him. Part of nature though, as you say.
ReplyDeleteHi Andrew....Thanks ...Im' sure if it happens in front of me I will gasp.grab the camera and he will be gone!!
ReplyDeleteElaine...thanks you...all part of the way it works!!
Grace, you last comment about the raptors having to eat too was seen here a couple of weeks ago when a hawk attacked and carried off a male cardinal which had visited our feeders. Unfortunately, I heard the poor captive bird and had to not watch, but thankfully the hawk flew off with its prey.
ReplyDeletethey have been visiting me as well. no leaves = better view, for him as well as us!!
ReplyDeleteawesome flight shot!!
Well spotted and photographed Grace.
ReplyDeleteIsn't nature an amazing thing?
That exact same scenario would have been played out numerous times during the same day here in the UK, the watcher sitting patiently waiting for the opportunity to grab his next meal!
The only thing needed is a name change from Cooper's Hawk to Sparrowhawk!...[;o)
Looks like your restaurant are good for prey and bird of prey ;-) As you said it's nature and the preys should be able to hide. Hope they are not going to hide from your feeders thought! Beautiful pictures of this guy you got!
ReplyDeleteNice shots Grace, really like the one in flight. They can be difficult to get those close-ups.
ReplyDelete