Kid Cooper's Hawks /  by Kitundu

This newly fledged female Cooper's Hawk is mantling to show her sibling it is time to back off. The two of them have been chasing each other through the trees and play time is over. Raptors usually mantle over prey that they want to hide from others. It makes them look bigger, more threatening, and covers up their meal. So it is a bit unusual to see this behaviour from below. I'm amazed at the feather tracts on the back of the head and neck. What a moment.

Is it some kind of woodland peacock or a Cooper's Hawk? She kept it up for a solid minute, hopping gradually down the branch.

Here she is transformed into a different creature. She is still keeping an eye on her sister though. There are 4 fledglings, 3 females and a male. The females are busy chasing each other and constantly begging. The male is further along - out on his own, hunting, flying with purpose as he patrols a different patch of the arboretum. I think the males develop more quickly because they are smaller. It is probably advantageous to leave the nest before your three gigantic, voracious and, fierce sisters get their act together.

Here is the male out on patrol. Gaze fixed firmly on a distant hedgerow full of songbirds.

One of the females swoops overhead screaming all the way.

Another sister gets in a little quiet flight practice near a reservoir. Photographing Coops is challenging. They are so quick and unpredictable and once they get a little sense they become nearly invisible. I never once saw the parents who keep a very low profile. I hope the kids stick around awhile.

Backyard Birds /  by Kitundu

Well, so far I've seen about 35 different species of bird from my deck... that comes to about a bird a day, since I've only lived here a month. I have a few feeders out and it's been great getting to know the cast of characters outside my window. Above, A Scrub Jay who is a regular to my suet feeder. He's since been replaced by a bunch of fuzzy, grey-headed, fledglings who have decided my deck is their playground.

Pine Siskins are fantastic little birds brimming with attitude. They will squabble with anyone who tries to dislodge them from their rightful place at the thistle feeder.

This one sees an approaching threat...

An even bolder Pygmy Nuthatch, one of the few birds that will land a foot away from my face while I'm filling the feeders. Squeaking away until the sunflower or suet has been replenished.

Here is one - unperturbed by me or my camera. They always take their food to go, preferring to eat in the branches above the house.

I'm not saying that the Pine Siskins are all attitude though. The one above demonstrates remarkable grace as it surveys the thistle feeder, and the one in the video below... well I don't think it's old enough to know any better. It sure was a wonderful moment!

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/27039300 w=398&h=224]

Purple Finches were the first to arrive and they still make frequent visits.

This one caught my eye from across the room. Such a striking colour combination.

They are good looking birds. I hadn't ever seen one until just a few weeks before moving in, and now I can't shake them.

Speaking of birds I can't shake... Band-tailed Pigeons are BIG, beautiful, travel in numbers, voracious, and very afraid of me. That doesn't keep them from emptying my feeders in one sitting. Here they gather on the line outside my kitchen... biding their time. A young bird lands amongst the adults to learn the ropes.

And then it begins.

The competition is fierce. If you can't find a place to land, improvise. They sit on the feeder growling at each other and slapping each other with their wings as they jockey for position. The video below shows what a Band-tail invasion looks like. When they take off the house actually shakes.

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/27038834 w=398&h=224]

 

Unfortunately there is a window strike near the end of the clip. I tracked that bird into a nearby tree and it returned to keep feeding. I put most of the feeders near the window and it seems to keep the birds from building up too much speed lest they decide the window is their best escape route. So far a few stunned birds but no immediate casualties.

Thankfully, they come in waves so that other birds (and my bird seed budget) can have a chance.

House Sparrows /  by Kitundu

House Sparrows, often much maligned, are tough charismatic little birds, great survivors, and attentive parents. This duo found an opening in the structure holding up a satellite dish and filled it with tiny sparrows who need a lot of food.

She pauses, vocalizing quietly, before entering with a mouthful of worms.

He arrives with more food and she exits over his head. These shift changes happened continuously the whole time I was watching.

She momentarily takes a well earned rest.

Many bird photographers struggle to keep any indication that humans exist out of their pictures. I'm very interested in the fact that some birds have adapted to the structures we've created. It is a part of their lives for better or worse. Sometimes they thrive as a result and sometimes they are challenged. I enjoy witnessing their behaviours and documenting them. I love a pretty picture and I think a pretty picture with a "hand of man" element is often just that much more interesting for the juxtaposition. I'm also a fan of all birds... invasive or not. Us griping about invasives is surely the pot calling the kettle... Birds are just trying to survive. We've stirred up the pot and are trying to deal with the oscillations we've set in motion. I'm not going to pretend that these aren't important and serious issues... I'm just not going to harbor any judgement or animosity toward creatures that are just trying to make their way... even if that means they are nest parasites, or like to eat fledglings. It's all interesting to me.

Ghosts at the Palace /  by Kitundu

The ghostly aeronauts are in full swing at the Palace of Fine Arts. Looks like the one nest we found in April (click here) has turned into three. I spent an hour and a half with the begging, clicking, chirping Barn Owls now residing in the rotunda.

Landing atop the columns. The owls are a bit more outgoing and less secretive than they were a few months ago.

I saw this couple, and a number of birds who were fully feathered but acting like juveniles and begging.

These owls are touching bills. I'm not sure why, but it seemed like the one on the left was begging and the other was just putting up with it.

This couple seemed more settled, but after a while it was hard to keep track of which owl was which. They travel silently and often wander along the ledges. I saw 9 different owls in 90 minutes.

This owl actually landed on a vertical face, clinging to the wall for 20 seconds before flying off.

This is a female who has several 4-5 week old chicks. Two of them have fallen from the nest and are now being cared for by WildCare. I happened to be involved in one of the rescues.(see the video below)

From what I can tell, this is a fully feathered chick, peering down from the nest.

They are venturing further out each day. They seem truly nocturnal, not becoming active until darkness really sets in.

Below is video of a 4-5 week old chick that fell 40 feet from the nest. It seemed in good health and will either be re-nested or slow released with other young owls at a rehab center. [vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/26906312 w=398&h=531]