Favoritos de riverahlquist

Photo 1
Posing For A Portrait
Late yesterday afternoon I was in my backyard when I had a visitor show up. A flock of noisy house sparrows had been chattering in my bushes & attracted a juvenile cooper's hawk. The sparrows exploded into the air & I looked around. Went inside for my camera but figured the hawk would be long gone. Found it perched on my back fence in the open. The sparrows were making noise again & the hawk was so focused on them that it ignored me. I was able to slowly walk to 10 feet from it & it just stayed there. So I took lots of shots. I have learned that juvenile raptors don't know to be scared of humans yet.

Photo 2
What's That Thing You're Pointing At Me?
One of the shots from my close encounter on Tuesday afternoon. I was about 10 feet away on my deck. It was trying to get a look at me and my camera. Hawk was relaxed, one foot is tucked into its chest feathers.

Recorded with iPhone 13 Pro and Twisted Wave app. Edited with Audacity 3.0.2 for noise reduction and amplification. Scissor grinder (Neotibicen pruinosus) calling in background, most audible at 0:12 to end of recording.

What Is That Noise You Are Making?
The look I got when I was trying to mimic a kite whistle. This is Brother, Junior's sibling. Finally came out from behind all the leaves. Brother is a chonky baby. This was yesterday during drizzly weather.