Feathers Can Tell Age
Nov 27, 2021 23:26:16 #
This Cooper's Hawk is still young as told by three things. Eyes are yellow-adult birds they are Orange to full on Red and the brown feather pattern is vertical-adults the pattern is horizontal. And last the brown feathers on the back, wings and top of the head turn a dark blue-gray and the gray on the head looks like a helmet.
This one is part of this years young raised by a pair that somewhere in my area. They often bring the young fledglings over to hunt around my feeders and then as they get older, like this one, they continue to hunt my yard on a regular basis. This one stopped for a drink from the water dish it is perched on.
Between the hawk family and the owner next door cutting down all the trees in the back yard where my small birds sheltered from the hawks I have gone from filling my feeders twice a day two years ago to once a day last year and in the less than a month since the trees were cut I can go two days or so without refilling the feeders. I will either have to start going to parks for birds again or plant a smallish fast growing tree in my yard as shelter for the birds. With the best shelter now 1 1/2 yards away my bird count is way down.
Canon 90D, Tamron 150-600 @ 600, 1/1250 @ f/7.1, ISO-1000
tripod out the door in my back yard in Corona CA 11-24-21 in shade at 4:30PM with fill flash
This one is part of this years young raised by a pair that somewhere in my area. They often bring the young fledglings over to hunt around my feeders and then as they get older, like this one, they continue to hunt my yard on a regular basis. This one stopped for a drink from the water dish it is perched on.
Between the hawk family and the owner next door cutting down all the trees in the back yard where my small birds sheltered from the hawks I have gone from filling my feeders twice a day two years ago to once a day last year and in the less than a month since the trees were cut I can go two days or so without refilling the feeders. I will either have to start going to parks for birds again or plant a smallish fast growing tree in my yard as shelter for the birds. With the best shelter now 1 1/2 yards away my bird count is way down.
Canon 90D, Tamron 150-600 @ 600, 1/1250 @ f/7.1, ISO-1000
tripod out the door in my back yard in Corona CA 11-24-21 in shade at 4:30PM with fill flash
Nov 27, 2021 23:43:27 #
Very nice!! I love the tilt to his head as though he is checking you out.
Dodie
Dodie
Nov 28, 2021 00:10:34 #
Nov 28, 2021 07:00:35 #
Nov 28, 2021 08:11:39 #
Nov 28, 2021 08:46:53 #
Superb photo and excellent description of the juvenile/adult characteristics. Thanks.
Mike
Mike
Nov 28, 2021 09:27:23 #
robertjerl wrote:
This Cooper's Hawk is still young as told by three... (show quote)
Must have used one powerful flash. Lit up the world brightly!
Nov 28, 2021 10:32:23 #
Nov 28, 2021 12:09:21 #
Nov 28, 2021 12:16:30 #
A lot of good information in your post. It really helped explain some things for me. Oh, the image is quite nice as well!
Nov 28, 2021 12:17:21 #
Nov 28, 2021 12:28:28 #
Nov 28, 2021 12:38:20 #
Nov 28, 2021 13:49:49 #
Nov 28, 2021 13:57:06 #
I like it! Also I am glad you are tolerant of birds of prey doing their thing, since they need advocates too. Plant the trees, by all means.
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.