Cooper's Hawk pursued by a mockingbird
May 24, 2015 15:02:00 #
We pulled in the driveway after looking around the park for an hour for BIF, and a hawk was flying overhead. He was pursued by a mockingbird, and buried himself in a tree in the front yard to get away from it. A while later he flew away and was joined by another hawk, a mate I presumed. I wasn't fast enough to get them both in flight and in frame, I would have hurt myself.
Handheld
Nikon D5200 with Sigma 150 - 500
Handheld
Nikon D5200 with Sigma 150 - 500
1. Flying over our driveway
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2. Flying above (I nearly broke my neck twirling around with the heavy lens trying to get the shot)
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3. Seeking a landing place
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4. Finding a suitable spot in a tree
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5. Burying himself in the tree branches
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6. Mockingbird trying to dive at him, you can see the hawk in the branches
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May 24, 2015 15:07:27 #
azphotobug
Loc: Scottsdale, Arizona
Great sequence! Doesn't the hawk realize how much larger and badass he is versus the Mockingbird? Obviously not. Or he wasn't in the mood for a rumble.
May 24, 2015 15:08:54 #
Fantastic shots, Dianne. You sure know how to work that camera and lens for fast action!
May 24, 2015 15:15:41 #
azphotobug wrote:
Great sequence! Doesn't the hawk realize how much larger and badass he is versus the Mockingbird? Obviously not. Or he wasn't in the mood for a rumble.
Thanks, azphotobug! You would think so, but the mockingbird was very persistent. I've seen them dive at crows also, both in flight and on the ground.
May 24, 2015 15:17:39 #
May 24, 2015 15:17:41 #
Linda From Maine wrote:
Fantastic shots, Dianne. You sure know how to work that camera and lens for fast action!
Thanks, Linda! Sometimes you just have to be in the right place at the right time, and be able to keep your balance. :-)
May 24, 2015 15:18:19 #
angler wrote:
Excellent shots.
Thank you, angler! I appreciate you taking a look. :-)
May 24, 2015 15:18:21 #
Nice shots! :thumbup: I have one of a Baltimore Oriel diving on a Red Tail. Good work tracking the hawk. :thumbup:
May 24, 2015 15:22:19 #
Linda From Maine wrote:
Fantastic shots, Dianne. You sure know how to work that camera and lens for fast action!
Linda...I was standing behind her when she was twirling like a kids top...if she went down I wanted to save the camera.
May 24, 2015 15:43:41 #
NikonJohn wrote:
Nice shots! :thumbup: I have one of a Baltimore Oriel diving on a Red Tail. Good work tracking the hawk. :thumbup:
Thanks, NikonJohn! I appreciate the compliment. These birds are so interesting. :-)
May 24, 2015 15:51:21 #
sleepydrdr wrote:
We pulled in the driveway after looking around the park for an hour for BIF, and a hawk was flying overhead. He was pursued by a mockingbird, and buried himself in a tree in the front yard to get away from it. A while later he flew away and was joined by another hawk, a mate I presumed. I wasn't fast enough to get them both in flight and in frame, I would have hurt myself.
Handheld
Nikon D5200 with Sigma 150 - 500
Handheld
Nikon D5200 with Sigma 150 - 500
Super sequence BTW I have seen smaller birds attacking a red tail hawk. Sometimes they do this to protect their nest
May 24, 2015 16:15:56 #
Awesome Pictures.
I live in SW Florida and I have the same hawks that nest around my property. They rob the mockingbirds nest every spring. The mockingbirds are relentless to attack the hawks to scare them away. They are feisty for their size. They will keep attacking the hawks. The hawks really can't do much to get rid of the mockingbirds., so finally the hawks retreat to their territory.
I live in SW Florida and I have the same hawks that nest around my property. They rob the mockingbirds nest every spring. The mockingbirds are relentless to attack the hawks to scare them away. They are feisty for their size. They will keep attacking the hawks. The hawks really can't do much to get rid of the mockingbirds., so finally the hawks retreat to their territory.
May 24, 2015 17:45:15 #
Fantastic shots and sequence. It looks like you had the birds pose for you.
When you compare the two birds; the Cooper's hawk is like a big cumbersome B52 stratofortress and the mocking bird is like a F-22 Raptor fighter. very, very fast and very, very agaile. The hawk doesn't stand much of a chance to out fly the mocking bird.
When you compare the two birds; the Cooper's hawk is like a big cumbersome B52 stratofortress and the mocking bird is like a F-22 Raptor fighter. very, very fast and very, very agaile. The hawk doesn't stand much of a chance to out fly the mocking bird.
May 24, 2015 21:14:04 #
boberic wrote:
Super sequence BTW I have seen smaller birds attacking a red tail hawk. Sometimes they do this to protect their nest
Thank you, boberic! Glad you stopped by. :-)
May 24, 2015 21:15:48 #
Big Tony wrote:
Awesome Pictures.
I live in SW Florida and I have the same hawks that nest around my property. They rob the mockingbirds nest every spring. The mockingbirds are relentless to attack the hawks to scare them away. They are feisty for their size. They will keep attacking the hawks. The hawks really can't do much to get rid of the mockingbirds., so finally the hawks retreat to their territory.
I live in SW Florida and I have the same hawks that nest around my property. They rob the mockingbirds nest every spring. The mockingbirds are relentless to attack the hawks to scare them away. They are feisty for their size. They will keep attacking the hawks. The hawks really can't do much to get rid of the mockingbirds., so finally the hawks retreat to their territory.
Thanks, Big Tony! I don't know that they have a nest nearby, but they sure could. :-)
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