I wrote a post about hawks (or sock monkeys as we like to call them here) some time ago – this one https://alba1047.wordpress.com/2015/01/30/sock-monkeys-and-giant-mice/ but this time there’s pictures! I am privileged to have a backyard that backs onto woods and I just love sitting outside and listening to all the critters and varmits and birds (is a bird a critter or varmit?) Last year I discovered that the screeching noise I kept hearing was a young hawk calling for it’s mother (or father, not sure who does the feeding). Anyway this year not only is the screeching back but I managed to capture both the young bird and the mother (father?)
The first two are of the young one. It was just sitting on the grass verge on my street as I was driving in, so luckily I always have my compact camera in my handbag and I managed to snap off these two shots out the car window.
Then when I got to my house the parent flew past me and landed on a tree in my neighbours garden. I hope they didn’t mind me walking over their grass to grab a shot with my DSLR but it was too good a chance to miss. This one is full zoom (300mm) on my Pentax K5.
I’m hoping to grab a shot of the owl that lives in the woods next. I did catch it once but the photo was terrible. It was only good enough to identify it as a Barred Owl. The owls make absolutely NO noise as they fly past. Their wing spans must be at least 4 feet, they are amazing birds.
I’m so lucky to have all this wildlife around.
Alba1047 