13 replies to this topic

[creeker]

What are they? Why are they here?

[Liam]

Left-right, bottom-top

Bald Eagle, Red-Tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Downy Woodpecker? Hairy Woodpecker?

Were they being tagged?

[BirderMadeleine]

All of these birds appear to be birds of prey.

(top to bottom, left to right)

Merlin, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk. 

[creeker]

Good Madeline, you only missed one, and it is the toughest to ID because you can't see much of it.

[BirderMadeleine]

Hmm....I'm not sure....Peregrine Falcon?

[creeker]

Not a falcon.

[BirderMadeleine]

Sharp-shinned Hawk.

[creeker]

Close Madeline. The answer is right before your eyes.

[RLFarhy]

Last one Creeker's avatar?

[Bird Whisperer]

Wow, I am very surprised by these answers. My size perception was way off. When I first saw the birds, I thought they were about killdeer-sized... And, now, it appears that two of those "killdeers" are red-tailed hawks!

[creeker]

RLFarhy:

Last one Creeker's avatar?

 The very bird! What is it? Madeline did an excellent job. Liam was right in that they were being "tagged," actually banded. The hawks are kept in these tubes (cans) to keep them quiet and to keep them from hurting themselves. They were all trapped and released that morning. It is open to the public. Here is a link if you want to see what the event is all about.

 

http://www.wildlife-.../hawkwatch.html

[Bird Whisperer]

creeker:

RLFarhy:

Last one Creeker's avatar?

 The very bird! What is it?

Is it another Red-Tailed Hawk?

[BirderMadeleine]

Ah.......okay.  I thought it looked too small for a Cooper's!

[creeker]

It was a very small male Cooper's. Cooper's are way more common than Sharp-shinned here. I have seen hundreds of Cooper's and they reside here year round. Sharp-shinned are Winter visitors. I have only positively ID'd one. So just to review, the bottom three are Red-tailed Hawks, Upper right is a Red-shouldered hawk, upper left a Cooper's Hawk.