Hawk got it's bird

[Hawk]

This guy has been hanging around they area for 3 years now.....Keeps the Yard in check.....Got a sparrow for his dinner.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Beautiful!! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Betrisher]

What is he? Sharp-shinned hawk?
NB. I'm in Australia, so my knowledge of your raptors is not what it could be.

 

[Hawk]

What is he? Sharp-shinned hawk?
NB. I'm in Australia, so my knowledge of your raptors is not what it could be.

I thought at first it was a sharp-shinned, but it's actually an adult northern Harrier.... The tail is narrow on a harrier and though it's a hawk, they pull their wings pulled and swept back like a falcon when in a dive to prey. They quite often get mixed up for a falcon. They are roughly 18 " tall. They soar with tail closed.

We also have a pair of American Kestrels nesting around here.....see them quite often. There is a bald eagle that has made the area home, and once in a while he'll perch close by and draw people to stop and try to take a picture. (wish they wouldn't, they try getting to close and scare it)

I'm heading up to Fletchers Floodwaters for the osprey nesting program, I will post last years Osprey's on here shortly...they are quite amazing birds.... and have a photo of a Bald eagle that landed a few feet from us. Quite magnificent birds.

 

[thekarens]

Is it a boy or girl? I can't tell if it's grey or brown.

Harriers are pretty easy to id in flight due to their white rump. Harder on the ground.

 

[Christinenc2000]

A friend took this picture this past Sunday. We are seeing a lot more nesting Eagles around here. I love it

 

[Hawk]

Is it a boy or girl? I can't tell if it's grey or brown.

Harriers are pretty easy to id in flight due to their white rump. Harder on the ground.

it's an adult male....the males are Grey, the females are a greyish-brown with more flecks on it's under belly. The females are actually slightly taller as well.

yes the white rump is always a tell tail sign....though in a juvenile it's not as obvious until it reaches the adult stage.

 

[Hawk]

A friend took this picture this past Sunday. We are seeing a lot more nesting Eagles around here. I love it

Where's the picture??? you forgot to post the picture....lol

 

[Christinenc2000]

A friend took this picture this past Sunday. We are seeing a lot more nesting Eagles around here. I love it

Where's the picture??? you forgot to post the picture....lol

Hmmm I can see it

 

[Birdman666]

Not something I like seeing hanging around in my yard, as often as my birds go outside.

We had a scare yesterday. It was nice here, and I had all five out in the tree. We have a Peregrine Falcon that usually stays on the other side of the High School, and raids the grakle nests... (there are HUNDREDS of them!)

He swooped in at about 90 miles per hour. Fortunately, he was going after a different set of birds. Not mine. But if he ever decided to dive bomb our tree, I don't know that I could get all my birds down in time. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'd lose one...

So, no. Don't like to see those guys hanging around. And I do check for them, and keep tabs of the ones that frequent my neighborhood.

 

[Hawk]

Not something I like seeing hanging around in my yard, as often as my birds go outside.

We had a scare yesterday. It was nice here, and I had all five out in the tree. We have a Peregrine Falcon that usually stays on the other side of the High School, and raids the grakle nests... (there are HUNDREDS of them!)

He swooped in at about 90 miles per hour. Fortunately, he was going after a different set of birds. Not mine. But if he ever decided to dive bomb our tree, I don't know that I could get all my birds down in time. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'd lose one...

So, no. Don't like to see those guys hanging around. And I do check for them, and keep tabs of the ones that frequent my neighborhood.

I hear ya..... My birds go out side as well....To be safe I built a screened Gazebo for the birds...Their perches, rafter swing, three tier water fall...Just so they're safe... way too many birds of prey around here...many seem to venture into the other hawks territory as birds of prey are territorial.

The Peregrine Falcon is an amazing bird, I work in Aerospace and The Peregrine falcon is used in studying the aero-dynamics of it's quick turns, flight dynamics and data is used (and was used) in making the F-22 Raptor fighter jet.

The Peregrine has been clocked at 200 MPH in a dive to prey...That's fast!!!
I had a Red-tailed Hawk ( which are good sized birds), take a 2month old grey kitten that was my daughters as she was standing 20 feet from the kitten. And One hawk took one of our young chickens last year, so yeah, I know they are not always welcomed by many, but it's a balance of nature for which we have no control over. I respect raptors and birds of prey, and I am on the nesting program for Ospreys. Another magnificent bird.

 

[thekarens]

Never met a raptor I didn't like [emoji5]