Friday, December 07, 2007

It was a good day to be a raptorphile

We woke up to a red-shouldered hawk sitting in a tree across the street. Good morning!
Morning red-shouldered hawk

Then, Lorelei and I went to try our luck at seeing the bald eagle again. She had been asleep when we saw it a few days ago. And today, she got to see it!


Bald eagle 120707
Not a National Geographic pic, but way better than what I got the first time.


and then it flew away to get a fish
And then it flew away, to go catch a fish.

Then it was to RAPTOR to grab some stuff, and near RAPTOR is Winton Woods, a very nice county park with a settling pond. And hunting the field near the pond was a male American kestrel:


My clearest pic of a kestrel
This is actually the clearest picture I have ever taken of a wild kestrel.
His 'tocks.

male AK at Winton Woods settling pond
This isn't too bad, but the lighting during a cloudy day is for crap.
Amazing how such a small, sweet-looking bird can be such a fierce predator (well, I'm sure they seem fierce if you are a grasshopper or a vole.)
And THEN....
Leaving the park, I spotted a hawk, all fluffed out hawk, scanning the field on the other side:

cold hawk
Okay, my little disciples...who can tell me what kind of hawk this is?
One hint: It is a buteo.
You can't see the tail, so you will have to ascertain the ID by what you see. And it was hunting at the edge of the woods, looking out over an open field.
Make me proud!

On the way home, I spotted FOUR different red-shouldered hawks in different locations.
Today was uber-raptorlicious.

That's eight separate birds of prey.
You may now adore and worship me.

7 comments:

mon@rch said...

I promise not to give away your hawk ID! But will check back to make sure it's what I think it is! Wonderful day you had and kestrel's are faves of mine also! High five on the Adult Bald! The Adults never let me get close to them!

The Swami said...

Hey, WHERE did you see the bald eagle?

Is that last photo a loon?

Marvin said...

Will adoration and worship supplemented by envy work?

Great shots.

Amila Salgado said...

uber-raptorlicious - nice one! I like it and will borrow it from you!

Kathi said...

Red-tailed Hawk. The key field mark is the white belly w/ the breast band. (I think.) But, I can't tell if it is passage or haggard.

Is the Bald Eagle the one at the Camp Dennison gravel pits?

Hey, have you heard the reports from Armleder? It is Raptor-palooza there these days: "7 Northern Harriers (only 1 adult male), 1 Rough-legged Hawk, 2 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 Red-shouldered Hawk, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 4 American Kestrels" That Rough-legged would be a sweet bird. I only have 1 unconfirmed sighting of one.

~Kathi, whose life is interfering with her birding habit

NatureWoman said...

Wow Susan! What a great day you had! Love the Eagle and Kestrel, yay!!

Mary said...

You are the Raptor Queen. I am on my knees...

What a great day!!!!