Fun with raptors and kookaburra

[Featheredsamurai]

My friends moved back to town after getting her degree in ornithology, so we hung out with her birdies some. Her dad took all this falcons with him so there was only my friends American kestrel named Atlas, and her saker falcon named Harry potter LOL. Along with the augur buzzards and two harris hawks.

adorable little guy!

beautiful slate color on male kestrels

Dogga, the African Augur buzzard

Dogga and I

Harry potter the hybred falcon

Sid(sidney) the kookaburra

I didn't take any photos of the Harris hawks so here's a older photo with my actual camera. All the other photos were with my Iphone

And finally, here's a video. just hanging out with the birdies, invading their space.

[ame="http://youtu.be/IeTcHooBvOo"]birdies - YouTube[/ame]

 

[getwozzy]

OH MY GOODNESSS!!!! They're so AWESOME!!!!!!! Dangit Ashley I'm so jealous!!!

They're so cute!!!! I want to pet them tooooooooo!!!

 

[GaryBV]

I often seen hawks, but I never seen them up close and personal like that - beautiful pictures and beautiful birds - thank you for posting

 

[Betrisher]

I have envy.

Raptors are really something special, aren't they? Most people have no appreciation of how they live and what they do, let alone seeing one eye to eye as you've done, Ashley. Thanks so much for sharing your pics with us!

 

[JerseyWendy]

Oh Ashley, I've got MAJOR envy here, too. SUCH GORGEOUS, awe-inspiring birds!!!! Thank you for posting!!! MUCH MUCH MUCH appreciated.

(The "only" raptor that's in my yard regularly is a pair of Peregrine Falcons)

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I'm glad everyone likes them :heart: I'm so happy my friends back in town so I can hang out with her more, I hung out with her dad a little as well when he takes some of his birds out flying.

I would LOVE to get my falconers license, but I can't do that until I have a better job that can support another birds vet bills haha. amazing creatures!

@wendy

lol, my friends dad has two peregrines they are so cool! Awesome you get to see wild peregrines! I see them occasionally but their always up very high.

 

[Betrisher]

Wendy! 'Only' Peregrine Falcons!? They are kings among birds and I have envy over you too! LOL!

There's a pair of Australian Hobbies that lives nearby and hunts over our place every day. These are exactly like mini Peregrines, except the male has a russet colouring on his breast (which is quite attractive, IMHO). I call them my little warriors and always smile when they call at exactly half past four every day.

 

[MarciaLove]

oh how cool!!!!! Kestrals are my fave bird of prey! and that falcons name love it! Kookaburras are so cool!

 

[Birdman666]

BEAUTIFUL!

We had lots of hawks in NorCal.

In fact, one of my best days (EVER!) skydiving, was a sunset load with lots of thermal activity over Monterey Bay. There were about 8 Red Tailed Hawks just up playing in the thermals over the landing area. The sky was red, and orange, and purple...

And they were comfortable enough, and curious enough about us, that we were able to turn and swoop with them in the thermals...

That was one of those unforgettable moments for me... Playing with wild hawks in their element!!!

 

[Featheredsamurai]

BEAUTIFUL!

We had lots of hawks in NorCal.

In fact, one of my best days (EVER!) skydiving, was a sunset load with lots of thermal activity over Monterey Bay. There were about 8 Red Tailed Hawks just up playing in the thermals over the landing area. The sky was red, and orange, and purple...

And they were comfortable enough, and curious enough about us, that we were able to turn and swoop with them in the thermals...

That was one of those unforgettable moments for me... Playing with wild hawks in their element!!!

Wow! That's one amazing experience!!!

I'm located in Norcal(SF bay area) and there are indeed a TON of hawks, also see golden eagles and very rarely a bald eagle. Tons of birds :heart:

 

[JerseyWendy]

Less than 2 miles from our house is the Manasquan Wildlife Area. It surrounds a good sized lake, and for the past 6 years they've had a pair of Bald Eagles nesting there. Each time I'm lucky enough to spot one of those, I get goosebumps.

There are also a good amount of Ospreys and some Red Tailed Hawks. I've only ever seen one American Kestrel here in Jersey. I LOVE the males. The color is just SO gorgeous.

 

[Birdman666]

BEAUTIFUL!

Wow! That's one amazing experience!!!

I'm located in Norcal(SF bay area) and there are indeed a TON of hawks, also see golden eagles and very rarely a bald eagle. Tons of birds :heart:

Yeah, that was at Skydive Hollister...

You have to watch out during nesting season though... when they have chicks to feed they get downright aggressive. They cleaned out the wild birds I was feeding in my yard, and my neighbor lost her little yip yip dog... took THE DOG right out of her yard!

A friend of mine had his GW Mac with him on the hiking trails in the Berkeley hills, and a red tail took his GW right off his shoulder...

So, that's the huge downside...

I enjoyed them, but they also would eat my birds given even a tenth of a chance...

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I ALWAYS carry Rosie on my hand. never my shoulder, that way I'm able to see better and avoid any hawks trying to ambush her. And when she flies I take her out to a very large field and make sure theirs a flock of crows nearby. If I don't see the hawk/falcon the crows do and they make a racket, or chase the birds of prey off.

 

[Birdman666]

I was always leery of nesting season... Mine go outside all the time.

There aren't as many hawks here in San Antonio.

What part of NorCal are you in? I was living in Hercules by the Bay. (SF East Bay)

 

[Captsteve]

Ash,

Love those birds!!!! It's such a cool treat to get to do things like that. Treebee and I often go to places that we can interact with different critters. She was recently in a pen with Wolves and has been in a pen with tigers. She is a nature/wildlife photographer and gets some amazing shots.

She has tons of birds in flight shots with some of her favs being the Bald Eagles that live near us.

The feelings when you get to be close to birds like those hawks is just awesome!

 

[Terry57]

Wow, what a fantastic experience! Lucky you, those birds are incredible! Thank you for sharing.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I was always leery of nesting season... Mine go outside all the time.

There aren't as many hawks here in San Antonio.

What part of NorCal are you in? I was living in Hercules by the Bay. (SF East Bay)

I'm in San Jose, the south bay. Really nice area, I LOVE living near the hills :heart:

Ash,

Love those birds!!!! It's such a cool treat to get to do things like that. Treebee and I often go to places that we can interact with different critters. She was recently in a pen with Wolves and has been in a pen with tigers. She is a nature/wildlife photographer and gets some amazing shots.

She has tons of birds in flight shots with some of her favs being the Bald Eagles that live near us.

The feelings when you get to be close to birds like those hawks is just awesome!

Thankyou, it is a awesome experience. No matter how many times I get to interact with these birds it's always special. Even interacting with my own birdies is a very special thing, to think we get to share our lives with something so amazing.

Wow, Treebee seems like a big animal lover! I'd be nervous going in with tigers. Very brave, and so AMAZING. I'd love to see some of the in flight photos of birds

 

[GaryBV]

I've had several experiences with birds of prey, but the one that sticks out the most to me happened at our former home that was located in a wonderful valley protected by two mountain ridges. Our land was flat, and we had a gravity pond that was quite a bit larger than the one we have now, and it was in the open. I had qutie a few goldfish in there, as well as some bass, and some large koi. As I stood there I saw a bald eagle fly in, I had never seen one before, and it flew to the west, where the sun was setting. It turned, and with the sun at it's back almost blinding it's approach, it dived into my pond. I stood there, in shock, some horror, and some awe, as it started flapping it's - what seemed at the time - enormous wings, lifted itself, and fly off into the east - having just narrowly missed my largest koi.

 

[MomtoPercy]

You lucky lucky fish! I'm soooo envious!

 

[Jayyj]

Awesome, thanks for sharing! How were the kestrel claws in comparison with a parrot? My hands are scarred enough with galah talon marks, can't imagine a falcon on there however small and cute!

We have a breeding pair of Peregrines that generally nest near the cathedral on the street I work on, so I get to see them pretty regularly - they'll totally unafraid of anything to do with people and they'll come quite low overhead.

My Dad lives in Los Altos Hills in California and I was bowled over with the wildlife that was on constant show - turkey vultures and red tails drifting over the garden every half hour or so, and a wonderful array of sea birds whenever we went to the coast. I saw a couple of large falcons over there as well, maybe prairie falcons or juvenile Peregrines.

Brown pelicans have to be one of my favourite bird species, and I got this photo in Morro Bay that I'm quite proud of: