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Why the Birds in the Yard Disappeared for a While
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Oct 9, 2018 02:11:32   #
robertjerl Loc: Corona, California
 
Cooper's Hawk
This afternoon about 5:30 I got to wondering why no birds at the peanuts and other feeders for quite some time. I mean all day the finches, sparrows, Jays and woodpeckers had been at the feeders and peanuts off and on. Even fussing when the peanuts ran out so I went out with more. And a woodpecker had been sitting on the old swing set and fussing at my little Jack Russell mix because she was plopped down between the birdbath and feeder where I put the peanuts. Tara was just waiting for one of the little lizards to come out from under one of the pots.
Well I looked and the shadow patterns up in the playhouse on top of the swing set under the roof didn't look right. Looked through the 100-400 and found the reason, wasn't shadows, it was a Cooper's Hawk. I shot a couple through the glass door, eased the door open and slowly walked to about 40'. and took a few, made it to the shadow of the pool slide at 20' and the hawk took off while AF was working. Went to the top of a tree next door. That tree is about 3 times as tall as my 2 story house. The hawk never came out of the leaves and branches where I could get a shot.
1. through the dirty double pane glass door at about 60' to show where the hawk was playing at being a 4x4 post (yes the old swing set needs to come down, dry rot and our youngest is now 24-I plan to use the 4x4s for a frame to put up a roofed spot for a picnic table-some day, maybe )
80D, 100-400L @ 100 mm, 1/320 @ f/7.1, ISO 640 hand held
2. From 40' I do believe this bird doesn't like old guys with cameras getting too close.
80D, 100-400L @ 400 mm, 1/320 @ f/7.1 ISO 1000 hand held


(Download)


(Download)

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Oct 9, 2018 04:41:58   #
DOOK Loc: Maclean, Australia
 
Nice ones, Jerry.

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Oct 9, 2018 07:57:07   #
photophile Loc: Lakewood, Ohio, USA
 
robertjerl wrote:
Cooper's Hawk
This afternoon about 5:30 I got to wondering why no birds at the peanuts and other feeders for quite some time. I mean all day the finches, sparrows, Jays and woodpeckers had been at the feeders and peanuts off and on. Even fussing when the peanuts ran out so I went out with more. And a woodpecker had been sitting on the old swing set and fussing at my little Jack Russell mix because she was plopped down between the birdbath and feeder where I put the peanuts. Tara was just waiting for one of the little lizards to come out from under one of the pots.
Well I looked and the shadow patterns up in the playhouse on top of the swing set under the roof didn't look right. Looked through the 100-400 and found the reason, wasn't shadows, it was a Cooper's Hawk. I shot a couple through the glass door, eased the door open and slowly walked to about 40'. and took a few, made it to the shadow of the pool slide at 20' and the hawk took off while AF was working. Went to the top of a tree next door. That tree is about 3 times as tall as my 2 story house. The hawk never came out of the leaves and branches where I could get a shot.
1. through the dirty double pane glass door at about 60' to show where the hawk was playing at being a 4x4 post (yes the old swing set needs to come down, dry rot and our youngest is now 24-I plan to use the 4x4s for a frame to put up a roofed spot for a picnic table-some day, maybe )
80D, 100-400L @ 100 mm, 1/320 @ f/7.1, ISO 640 hand held
2. From 40' I do believe this bird doesn't like old guys with cameras getting too close.
80D, 100-400L @ 400 mm, 1/320 @ f/7.1 ISO 1000 hand held
Cooper's Hawk br This afternoon about 5:30 I got t... (show quote)


Good image, one visited our yard once.

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Oct 9, 2018 13:37:36   #
fuminous Loc: Luling, LA... for now...
 
He looks hungry, Robert... be careful, that look of desire in his eyes may not be affection... Good catch!!

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Oct 9, 2018 13:42:43   #
robertjerl Loc: Corona, California
 
DOOK wrote:
Nice ones, Jerry.

Thank you

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Oct 9, 2018 13:43:18   #
robertjerl Loc: Corona, California
 
photophile wrote:
Good image, one visited our yard once.

Thank a lot

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Oct 9, 2018 13:48:14   #
robertjerl Loc: Corona, California
 
fuminous wrote:
He looks hungry, Robert... be careful, that look of desire in his eyes may not be affection... Good catch!!


I am bigger and meaner than him and I have a 20 lb Jack Russell mix who has discovered that birds are protein snacks as backup.

My wife says he was giving a second to the other birds wanting the feeders to be restocked. Hmmm? Feeder restocked, small birds come back, hawk hiding inside playhouse can then.... Maybe "bird brains" are smarter than we usually think they are?

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Oct 9, 2018 18:04:48   #
Dixiegirl Loc: Alabama gulf coast
 
Yep. You can count on a Coopers or Sharpie in the area if the birds are either hiding or standing stone still while gazing up. You got a great shot though, Jerry.

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Oct 9, 2018 18:29:20   #
robertjerl Loc: Corona, California
 
Dixiegirl wrote:
Yep. You can count on a Coopers or Sharpie in the area if the birds are either hiding or standing stone still while gazing up. You got a great shot though, Jerry.

Thanks
I think the hawk is nearby, no birds, no squirrels in the yard for almost an hour.
Just my Tara checking things out, being mostly Jack Russell and at 20 pounds no Cooper in its right mind would want to mess with her. A large eagle maybe or maybe not, but not a smallish hawk like a Cooper. Besides she discovered birds are self propelled protein snacks when the student flyers started breaking necks and wings or knocking themselves out running into things. She was keeping the yard clean and getting a healthy snack at the same time. That Cooper would be a whole meal.

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Oct 10, 2018 10:17:38   #
CSand Loc: Fayetteville, Georgia
 
Hate to see them disturb the birds but so enjoy them when they do. Good capture!

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Oct 10, 2018 10:19:23   #
Chuckwal Loc: Boynton Beach Florida
 
He made himself a new home waiting for prey super set

chuck

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Oct 10, 2018 13:05:05   #
robertjerl Loc: Corona, California
 
CSand wrote:
Hate to see them disturb the birds but so enjoy them when they do. Good capture!

A pair must have raised a brood in the area this year, I have seen two flying past chased by crows and a couple times I spotted one missing a strike then doing something no older bird would do, chasing a dove in flat straight flight. Didn't have my camera in hand so I just watched.

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Oct 10, 2018 13:11:29   #
robertjerl Loc: Corona, California
 
Chuckwal wrote:
He made himself a new home waiting for prey super set

chuck


He was posed straight up right with wings tucked, I could almost hear "I am the 4x4, I am just a post, it is OK little birds (and squirrels) you can come to the feeders. I am the 4x4."

Just now their were 4 crows and a squirrel on the play house. But the smaller birds and doves are scarce, one or more of the hawks may be perched nearby.

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Oct 10, 2018 23:36:08   #
sailorsmom Loc: Souderton, PA
 
Good shot, Jerry! He's a beauty!

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Oct 11, 2018 00:53:20   #
robertjerl Loc: Corona, California
 
sailorsmom wrote:
Good shot, Jerry! He's a beauty!


Thanks Sue.

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