Okay, I guess it's time to get my head out of the clouds at Indigo Hill and get back to real life.
Our Red-tailed hawk has visited us every day for a week.
Not to toot my own horn, but Beep-Beep! She has found the motherload of prey on our property because:
1. We don't use pesticides, so there are more bugs to eat.
2. We don't keep a perfect, manicured (boring) lawn, so there are a lot of places for mice and snakes to make a home.
3. We won't mistake her for a chicken and shoot her. (See post about Isis)
A favored perch for her is our chimney. Do I care that there is a whole lotta bird poop up there? Nope.
Vignetted photo of her...until I get a proper scope, this is the best that it gets.
Finally got her in flight! This photo doesn't do her justice, when it comes to her size.
She is MASSIVE.
Cosmos in the dark.
Why do I take so many pictures of the cosmos? Because that's about the only thing blooming in the yard right now.
5 comments:
Susan,
I know little about birds but I have a question for you. Do raptors "teach" their young to hunt? I ask because when we lived in WI we had a hawk that frequented our yard and for a few days in a row I witnessed (DH too) the 2 adults hopping on the ground with the young chick? chasing a chipmunk. They seemed to be corralling the chipmunk and allowing the youngster to chase him. Was it my imagination? Do they do that?
Michelle:
Once the young are able to fly, some parents show their young how to hunt. Cooper's hawk and peregrine falcon parents have been observed leading their young on rapid chases before giving up their prey. These same parents may also release still-living prey for their young to catch and kill.
It's entirely possible that what you saw with the hawk was "prey practice".
That is so cool. Fantastic photos!
ATTENTION CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT:
Since I did not receive a Wednesday Blog update, which led to withdrawal symptoms and the associated need to be heavily sedated, will I receive a refund or can I instead just get a credit to my account.
Raptors of any kind are so beautiful (and helpful). I kind of almost wish that it was common in modern times to keep them as hunting animals so I could see them up close more often.
Great pics!
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