Sunni's photos
This hawk comes to the birdbath daily around
dinnertime. Either he’s obsessed with
cleanliness or he’s cooling off, or both.
He hangs out here, takes a spin around the desert, and comes back and
hops in the birdbath again. He’ll hang
out here an hour or so each day. Of
course, this has discouraged the other birds, everybody that is except the
hummingbirds, which aren’t afraid of him and will buzz his head while he’s
cooling his behind.
Sunni's photos
I’ve spent hours watching this guy and have taken over a
hundred pics of him and his routine. I
kept trying to get some bathing shots and finally did. I’m usually at the sink washing dishes or
cooking dinner. I never catch him in the
act because he’s usually already wet.
Sunni's photos
I took all these pics through the kitchen window. To my surprise, they turned out well considering the glass between this raptor and me. But I knew if I went out on the patio, he’d fly off and I’d never get a photo. The only time that’s worked for me was about two years ago when a monster-sized one of these birds landed in the birdbath. It wasn’t afraid of me at all and let me get within about two feet of him with my camera before he flew off. This bird is much smaller and he looks young and not yet full size to me.
Sunni's photos
Sunni's photos
Enjoy.
He's magnificent! I would be fascinated to watch him too and take lots of pictures of him! What a wonderful visitor that comes and sees you daily! One time when we were driving around Temecula, California we were in some back area of houses and on a tree stump was the BIGGEST falcon we had ever seen. It just stayed there while we stopped and watched it for a minute. Of course I didn't have a camera with me and our phones at the time didn't take pictures so we missed the photo op but to this day we still talk about how big that bird was.
ReplyDeletebetty
Wow Betty,
DeleteIt's too bad you didn't have a camera with you. I've spent hours watching this bird and have at least two hundred pics I bet.
I know right where Temecula is. We lived in Escondido for twenty-five years.
Thanks for reading and your comment.
Sunni
That's great. If he's coming daily, maybe you could set up some sort of webcam. I'm sure you could get some great video.
ReplyDeleteLiz,
DeleteHe does come daily. I'll have to look at how to install a webcam.
Sunni
You're so lucky to get a hawk in your garden. We get lots of buzzards out in the country here in Devon, England, but I've never seen one close up. My little birds love our birdbath!
ReplyDeletePL,
DeleteThese hawks come by all the time, but this one really took a liking to the birdbath. My birds love to get in there too. We also have buzzards but none that come to the yard.
Thanks for reading.
Sunni
We have a couple of hawks that live in the trees behind our house. I see them swooping down and grabbing little vermin and carrying them off. They fly above the house, too, way up so you can barely see them. One morning it was raining, and one was sitting on the deck. Thing must have stood two feet high, real severe-looking. Guess he was grounded by the rain.
ReplyDeleteWe also live near a mountain that has a flock of turkey buzzards living on it. We have lots of road kill by us, and we've seen at least one of the buzzards eating by the side of the road. Sounds awful, then you realize that's the way it works...
John,
DeleteThese hawks like to kill things too. It is awful, but it is the way of nature. We just happen to be here to witness it. Most of these hawks are between one and two feet hight. We have had a giant one here once, but I've never seen it again, and the ravens are quite huge. They come up to my knees. They look like they could be mean if they wanted to.
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Sunni
Hi Sunni! What a gorgeous bird! Hawks scare me but they're so beautiful to watch.
ReplyDeleteVashti,
ReplyDeleteI guess they could be mean if they wanted, but usually they are afraid of humans. They have beautiful markings.
Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Sunni