The hot weather is keeping most of the birds and birders in the shade this week. Be sure your birds have plenty of water near your feeders for drinking and bathing. If you want to do your birds a favor, hook up a yard sprinkler near some bushes and watch how quick the birds locate it. The finer the mist the better they like it. This is a great way to attract Warblers and Cedar Wax Wings. They love to get wet.
The hot weather did not stop Richard Schier from his birding trips to Standifer Gap Marsh and he located an Eastern Kingbird nest being harrassed by a Coopers Hawk that resulted in some great photoes. We hope you enjoy them.
Good Birdin'
This steamy morning (whew!) I was out at Standifer Gap Marsh early, attempting to get some pictures before it got too hot out there.
Suddenly, right above my head, I heard two Eastern Kingbirds beeping away, harassing a young Cooper's Hawk, which had flown too close to their nest.
He eventually landed in the tall dead tree, halfway down the gravel road.
He is a handsome fellow, isn't he ?
Sometimes, the young ones are not as "skittish" as the mature ones, so I crept forward another 20 paces or so down the gravel road.
Cooper's Hawks and their slightly smaller cousins, Sharp-shinned Hawks, belong to the family of Raptors known as Accipiters.
They are known for their exceptionally long tails.
Look at the long tail of this Cooper's Hawk in the very first picture above.
They use their long tails to make quick horizontal turns as they weave in and around trees and other objects, chasing their prey.
I crept closer still, and, you can definitely tell this is a young one, because look below how he decides to conceal himself!!!!
However, there is nothing funny about those TALONS!!!!
Look at those deadly weapons on this Raptor......
Unlike Red Tails and Red Shoulders, Cooper's Hawks do not ascend and then dive onto their prey.
These Hawks are more like Cats.
They stalk as closely as possible at tree-level...
Then they charge at blinding speed onto their intended victims.
But, I will tell you, these little Kingbirds are every bit as bold as Mockingbirds, Blue Jays or Crows
in defending their nests from Hunting birds.
(Standifer Gap Marsh Eastern Kingbird guarding its nest !!!)
(Eastern Kingbird)
HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!!!