Recent Raptors...and more: I've been lucky to get some good looks as raptors recently. Here are a few shots I hope you will enjoy. I've also attached an interesting shot of Black...

jak86094

I've been lucky to get some good looks as raptors recently. Here are a few shots I hope you will enjoy. I've also attached an interesting shot of Black Skimmers.

The first photo was taken a few months ago at the San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine, CA (right outside UC Irviine). That platform was abandoned when I saw it yesterday, so the chick has fledged and left to fend for itself.

The next photo captured one of three Ospreys frequenting the Los Angeles River at Willow Street in Long Beach, CA. Much of the LA River is a concrete flood control channel, but South of Willow Street it spreads out into a green-lined channel frequented by ducks, herons and egrets, and other water and wading birds as well as these three Ospreys. This one was perched on a light fixture overlooking the channel and Willow street where it landed with its meal of fish. When the other Ospreys came too close, it would carry its meal with it and fly out to challenge the other birds.

The adult Cooper's Hawk in the next two photos flushed down from a pepper tree bordering Harriett Wieder Regional Park in Huntington Beach on August 19. When I walked by the pepper tree, this Cooper's dropped down carrying a heavy load...a pigeon...which it had been eating up in the pepper tree. Because of its heavy load, it landed about 25 feet away, in plain view, on a concrete wall across the garden. For about five minutes, we exchanged stares with the hawk, which was protecting its meal. It finally grasped the pigeon in its talons and flew ponderously out of sight into the neighboring yard. We had been wondering why we weren't seeing or hearing any perching birds in the area. The presence of a Cooper's Hawk was sure to keep smaller birds from visiting or calling.

Though not raptors, the final photo shows two Black Skimmers practicing dogfighting over a Pond at San Joaquin Marsh. I'm told that 20 years ago, Black Skimmers were considered a rarity in Southern California. These birds were part of a nesting colony of around 200 Skimmers in the San Joaquin Marsh. Additional colonies are nesting in Southern California, so while l these large terns are fascinating to watch, they are no longer a rarity here.
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jak

Osprey nest with parent and chick

(Download)

Osprey on the Los Angeles River

(Download)

Cooper's Hawk with prey at Harriett Wieder Regional Park

(Download)

Cooper's Hawk with prey shortly before carrying its meal off to eat in peace.

(Download)

Same bird, different pose as photo #2 above just before taking off to challenge other Ospreys.

(Download)

WCS

"Raptors"... sounds raw and vicious. And, indeed, they look that way too... Hard to believe, but we live in a similar, yet greatly muted by abundance, world. The natural world is 'decided' by who is most vicious, not by kindness or forgiveness. You are 'in charge' until you become prey ~ Thanks for sharing these remarkable photographs!

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Fantastic set of images jak.

Don

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

You usual top quality set, jak, but what happened to the skimmers?

jak86094

UTMike wrote:

You usual top quality set, jak, but what happened to the skimmers?

Mike, I really don't know. They were there when I wrote the description. I must have forgotten to do something. I'll try and add them back. Glad you enjoyed the rest. jak

jak86094

I don't know what happened to the image of the dogfighting Black Skimmers. Let's try again.

(Download)

jak86094

PAR4DCR wrote:

Fantastic set of images jak.

Don

Thanks very much, Don. Somehow I failed to attach the photo of the Black Skimmers, but I have added a message with that one attached. Have a great week.

jak86094

WCS wrote:

"Raptors"... sounds raw and vicious. And, indeed, they look that way too... Hard to believe, but we live in a similar, yet greatly muted by abundance, world. The natural world is 'decided' by who is most vicious, not by kindness or forgiveness. You are 'in charge' until you become prey ~ Thanks for sharing these remarkable photographs!

Thanks for taking the time to look and write. I do disagree that the natural world is ‘decided’ by who is most vicious but by who is better able to survive and grow. That may be a non vicious entity that fits into its environment more successfully. I’ve watched hummingbirds attack and chase off hawks. Anyway, thanks again. jak

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

Good set!

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

tcthome Loc: NJ

Great set. Like the capture in the first hawk photo.

J-SPEIGHT Loc: Akron, Ohio

jak86094 wrote:

I've been lucky to get some good looks as raptors recently. Here are a few shots I hope you will enjoy. I've also attached an interesting shot of Black Skimmers.

The first photo was taken a few months ago at the San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine, CA (right outside UC Irviine). That platform was abandoned when I saw it yesterday, so the chick has fledged and left to fend for itself.

The next photo captured one of three Ospreys frequenting the Los Angeles River at Willow Street in Long Beach, CA. Much of the LA River is a concrete flood control channel, but South of Willow Street it spreads out into a green-lined channel frequented by ducks, herons and egrets, and other water and wading birds as well as these three Ospreys. This one was perched on a light fixture overlooking the channel and Willow street where it landed with its meal of fish. When the other Ospreys came too close, it would carry its meal with it and fly out to challenge the other birds.

The adult Cooper's Hawk in the next two photos flushed down from a pepper tree bordering Harriett Wieder Regional Park in Huntington Beach on August 19. When I walked by the pepper tree, this Cooper's dropped down carrying a heavy load...a pigeon...which it had been eating up in the pepper tree. Because of its heavy load, it landed about 25 feet away, in plain view, on a concrete wall across the garden. For about five minutes, we exchanged stares with the hawk, which was protecting its meal. It finally grasped the pigeon in its talons and flew ponderously out of sight into the neighboring yard. We had been wondering why we weren't seeing or hearing any perching birds in the area. The presence of a Cooper's Hawk was sure to keep smaller birds from visiting or calling.

Though not raptors, the final photo shows two Black Skimmers practicing dogfighting over a Pond at San Joaquin Marsh. I'm told that 20 years ago, Black Skimmers were considered a rarity in Southern California. These birds were part of a nesting colony of around 200 Skimmers in the San Joaquin Marsh. Additional colonies are nesting in Southern California, so while l these large terns are fascinating to watch, they are no longer a rarity here.
.
jak

I've been lucky to get some good looks as raptors ... (show quote)

Excellent set

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

WCS wrote:

"Raptors"... sounds raw and vicious. And, indeed, they look that way too... Hard to believe, but we live in a similar, yet greatly muted by abundance, world. The natural world is 'decided' by who is most vicious, not by kindness or forgiveness. You are 'in charge' until you become prey ~ Thanks for sharing these remarkable photographs!

A basic tenant of evolution. But fittest doesn't always mean the biggest and baddest. Sometimes it's the smallest and fastest. Or smartest and most adaptable, as in humans. Who, even in the earliest iterations, were very poorly outfitted for survival physically, and came very near to extinction several times!
Great photos of a beautiful Raptor!!

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

A very nice set.

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

jak86094 wrote:

I've been lucky to get some good looks as raptors recently. Here are a few shots I hope you will enjoy. I've also attached an interesting shot of Black Skimmers.

The first photo was taken a few months ago at the San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine, CA (right outside UC Irviine). That platform was abandoned when I saw it yesterday, so the chick has fledged and left to fend for itself.

The next photo captured one of three Ospreys frequenting the Los Angeles River at Willow Street in Long Beach, CA. Much of the LA River is a concrete flood control channel, but South of Willow Street it spreads out into a green-lined channel frequented by ducks, herons and egrets, and other water and wading birds as well as these three Ospreys. This one was perched on a light fixture overlooking the channel and Willow street where it landed with its meal of fish. When the other Ospreys came too close, it would carry its meal with it and fly out to challenge the other birds.

The adult Cooper's Hawk in the next two photos flushed down from a pepper tree bordering Harriett Wieder Regional Park in Huntington Beach on August 19. When I walked by the pepper tree, this Cooper's dropped down carrying a heavy load...a pigeon...which it had been eating up in the pepper tree. Because of its heavy load, it landed about 25 feet away, in plain view, on a concrete wall across the garden. For about five minutes, we exchanged stares with the hawk, which was protecting its meal. It finally grasped the pigeon in its talons and flew ponderously out of sight into the neighboring yard. We had been wondering why we weren't seeing or hearing any perching birds in the area. The presence of a Cooper's Hawk was sure to keep smaller birds from visiting or calling.

Though not raptors, the final photo shows two Black Skimmers practicing dogfighting over a Pond at San Joaquin Marsh. I'm told that 20 years ago, Black Skimmers were considered a rarity in Southern California. These birds were part of a nesting colony of around 200 Skimmers in the San Joaquin Marsh. Additional colonies are nesting in Southern California, so while l these large terns are fascinating to watch, they are no longer a rarity here.
.
jak

I've been lucky to get some good looks as raptors ... (show quote)

Outstanding shooting ⭐🎖️👑🎖️⭐