Late Afternoon in Point Reyes
No better way to spend an afternoon than meandering through Point Reyes National Seashore. I felt a sense of urgency on this day as the light was already golden when I left the house. This Red-shouldered Hawk still managed to stop me in my tracks well before I’d even arrived at Point Reyes.
A female American Kestrel hover hunting the hillside looking for small rodents and insects.
Got one! She caught at least 5 insects in the 5 minutes I spent watching her.
I walked into this barn to photograph the view of the ocean framed in the window and two Northern Flickers flitted around in the rafters, eventually heading out through these very windows.
I found one of them waiting in the sunlight on the ridge of the roof.
In the distance, a Red-tailed Hawk hunts above the rolling hills. The raking light making any movement below highly visible. Even small gophers cast long shadows in conditions like this.
Aspirational grass. It has a great view from its island.
A stooping male Kestrel sent these Starlings skyward before it settled onto that pole on the right. They swirled around him a few times before returning to their comunal roost. A nice way to start the evening.
Redtail in the Sunset
The Park Service has cut down a lot of trees at Crissy Field that were once frequented by hunting hawks. Thankfully the few that remain have still got some hawk attracting properties. The other evening I saw a Red-tailed Hawk bank in the setting sunlight and land to survey the gopher strewn grass below. Above, it leaps into action when it spots something moving in distant taller grasses.
Tough hunting that evening sent the hawk towards the Golden Gate Bridge and out towards the Presidio, presumably to roost and try again in the morning.
Face to Face
A young Red-tailed Hawk navigates the coastal bluffs near Half Moon Bay, California. Click on the image to see the details.
Hot Pursuit
Brewer’s Blackbirds can be very aggressive when a predator is in their midst.
Here the Redtail was hunting a bit too close to a nesting colony of blackbirds and they escorted it out of the area.
They often have good reason to be cautious around Red-tailed Hawks.
Raven Intimidation
This Redtail may be curious, but he certainly isn’t bothered by a Raven trying to use circus tricks to intimidate.
Scare Tactics
A Western Scrub Jay looms large but the young Redtail is unimpressed.
The Hawk, the Snake, and the Sea
A female Red-tailed Hawk with prey above Sutro Baths in San Francisco.
Urban Birds Part Two
Close encounters can happen almost anywhere in San Francisco.
As a photographer I’m happy and amazed at how comfortable some birds get in an urban setting. In the countryside it is a simple matter to relocate but the city offers limited green space and the birds learn to figure out what the real threats are.
Alta Plaza Park used to be a great spot to see hunting hawks up close but I think things have changed. It used to have a resident Redtail every year but I haven’t seen one lately.
Departure.
Arrival.
This image may be a repost but it fits with the theme and is one of my favorites. This is a Red-shouldered Hawk hunting rats in the Presidio.
It isn’t just raptors that reside in the city. Great Blue Herons are another “bird of prey” that make a living here too. (CLICK HERE) More tomorrow…
Urban Birds Part One
A Red-tailed Hawk with blatant disregard for signage.
Another young Redtail cruising along the Great Highway near Ocean Beach, San Francisco.
This Redtail supplements his diet with sidewalk worms after a rainstorm… but it takes a little searching.
And sometimes you have to run to catch a worm before it makes it back to the grass.
Floating over a roadway while scanning for careless gophers in the ditches.
This Redtail navigates buildings in the Pacific Heights neighborhood as it hunts.
Traffic is another hazard of city living but this bird handles it with aplomb.
This hawk hunts the slopes of Bernal Hill with the skyline as a backdrop. More urban birds tomorrow… stay tuned.
Monochrome Redtail
An experiment in black and white. Click on the image because it’s better bigger.
Redtail in the Fog
This 14 year old Red-tailed Hawk floats back up to a hunting perch amidst thick coastal fog.
Predation Series #10
Firmly grasping a gopher, this young Red-tailed Hawk departs with its prize. (click the image to see this one bigger)
Predation Series #1
A female Red-tailed Hawk soars off with an early evening meal at Sutro Baths in San Francisco. This is the first in a daily series of predation related photos interspersed with other blog posts.
A Seaside Meal
One of my favorite places to go when I need a raptor fix is along Great Highway near Ocean Beach. This is as reliable a spot as you’ll find in San Francsico for finding a perched bird of prey. If you are patient, or lucky enough to find one actively hunting, you might get a chance to see how it makes a living.
Posture means a lot when it comes to determining raptorial intent. If you see a bird preening, sitting straight up, one leg folded into its feathers, there is a good chance you will be waiting awhile. This Redtail was alert, head up, leaning forward, looking around frequently, and moving its feet. These were all very good signs it was on the hunt.
To Mob a Killing Bird
A Raven mobs an adult Red-tailed Hawk near Ocean Beach. This Redtail seemed to have plenty of experience with aggressive Ravens and it shrugged off the challenges with aplomb. Considering the size and intelligence of Ravens, standing up to them is no small feat.
Evening Redtails
A friend and I went to Stow Lake to see if we could get a glimpse of the normally cooperative owls on Strawberry Hill. The fledglings have grown old enough to disperse and the parents were making themselves scarce so we struck out on Golden Gate Park owls. But much of bird watching is about what you see when you are waiting around for other things to happen, and last night was no exception. We had been tracking a female Redtail who was sitting near what we think is an active nest. The male arrived with a recently caught squirrel and she set off in pursuit to relieve him of his meal. He managed to escape long enough to perch and spend about 10 minutes dining on a nicely exposed branch. Once the female made up her mind, she stopped making her persistent yet quiet begging calls, and launched off her perch, diving toward the male with great intent. He fell over backwards trying to escape his larger and stronger partner and she took over what was left of the squirrel. Above, she relocates with her prize. The squirrel may be hard to recognize because it has been, err… rearranged.
