Sunday, November 1, 2009

A Surprise Visit

I wanted to share a few photos of a bit of wildlife we were honored to have on our back fence last week. I know I aways complain about the location in which we live... too commercial, noisy, etc. However, this visit caused us to pause in awe and rush to grab the camera. I've not identified it yet for certain, but I think it's a Cooper's Hawk, could be a juvenile.

All our small birds that visit us were gone and stayed away for a few days, in spite of the feeder having food. Cooper's Hawks like to visit bird feeders looking for small birds to feed on! There is a storage lot behind us with a lot of weeds and blackberry bushes growing over our fence. The little birds like to hang out in them and pop through the lattice in the fence to come to the feeder. Notice in the next to the last photo, he's standing on one leg. He stayed there for quite a bit of time, but of course as soon as we got the tripod out to set the camera in a better location, he decided he'd been there long enough. These photos were shot with a zoom from inside, through a window. We heard him for a couple of days, but never saw him again. It was so exciting and his visit came at a good time. He was a messenger of good tidings.







6 comments:

Autumn Leaves said...

What fabulous photos! My husband even came in to see them! We have lots of hawks around here and we never fail to thrill at the sight of them. However, once I was in my daughter's back yard watching one circling behind her house over a field...That dastardly bird flew towards my daughter's house and the tree I was standing under and plucked another bird right out of the tree over my head!!! It was a scene that bothered me for months! However, that said, they still are beautiful birds and I know they need to eat...

Barbara A. Freeman said...

Thanks for looking, Autumn. Wow,what an experience you had! My husband and I saw two hawks, a parent and a younger one feeding on a rabbit up in a tree at Point Lobos in CA. It was great to watch, but I tried not to think too much about what they were eating! Fortunately, this hawk didn't take one of our little birds. At least we didn't see him. We do have rodents around and would have loved if he would have gotten one of them!

Debra Keirce said...

We have two pet rabbits, and we keep them indoors because of all the hawks and turkey vultures around here. They've been known to swoop down and grab small pets on occasion. Still, they are awesome animals...The power and threat in their very nature. The top photo is great - It's like he is daring you to make a move!

Barbara A. Freeman said...

Oh, bunnies! I love bunnies and I would really be upset if a hawk picked up my bunny! I have just taken some photos of a domestic rabbit that my husband sees when he out running. It's so sweet and I was able to get some good shots of him/her. I'm hoping to get some minis out of it. I've heard they make wonderful pets.

Unknown said...

Ok well just have to tell my hawk/ eagle stories too--both of these happened on my drive home in stopped traffic on hi-way 522. I once saw an eagle swoop down and pick up small cat as it flew away with its meal all Ic ould see was a dangling tail :(--my other time on 522 I was stopped in traffic and looked out my passenger side window only to see an eagle eating a rabbit not bothered at all by the cars, it was quite the sight! I have more stories but this is probably enough--hope all is going well with you--i have been having some frustrations with all of my art projects but coming up with new ideas as well--:)

Barbara A. Freeman said...

Oh, no, a cat! That's quite a story Janie! or stories! Well, I guess they have to eat too! And it always a great reminder when we witness such. I just hope they (cat and rabbit) weren't someone's pet!