Got very lucky to get this one. (slightly squeamish)

[COUNTRY GIRL]

If I hadn't stepped around the corner to make a call to work I never would have seen this juvenile Red Tail having lunch right beside us. From where I stood I could not tell what he was doing or see the feathers surrounding this great hunter. It wasn't until I got home and downloaded the pictures did I realize just what a lucky shot it was. I guess we all have to stop for lunch.

 

[Don in SJ]

Ah, you did great, terrific photographs! I almost had similar but the dang screen in my window made the shots nowhere clear enough to post! Had a Coopers Hawk "playing" with a Starling!

Don

 

[seger98]

Those are some fantastic photos. Amazing you got close enough to capture them.

 

[COUNTRY GIRL]

Don, I actually thought of you when I got home and saw what I had. I knew you'd like it.

Seger, I wasn't "that" close. I was far enough away that I had to use full zoom to get the capture. You could not see what was going on with the naked eye. When I showed my husband he said "What is it?" I just knew I had to take a shot or two.

 

[hyperion]

For those keepin' score: Redtail-1, Robin-0. Great shot.

 

[COUNTRY GIRL]

Thanks Summary! Pure luck.

 

[Cynangyl]

Real nice shot sis!!

 

[Ray S S]

Yup, that is a good one. Not too ofen you get a chance to get a good one like that.

One day a few years ago I was on the way home from work and a Red tailed Hawk sudenly dropped down on the grass
alongside the shoulder of the expressway. He Landed just a few feet from me and as I passed he was lifting up with
a snake about three of four feet long in his talons. That was quite a sight and really wished I could have gotten
a pic because he was so close I had a perfect view.

Thanks for showing the pics.

Ray

 

[River Rat]

Yep, nice shot Sis I saw a family of four hawks gliding in the sky today, it was awesome just watching them have fun in the sky. I do remember the strangest thing that happened several years back, I notice a hawk in the pasture just standing there, I thought it might be injured, so I rode my ATV closer, it took off struggling to lift off. That was a sight, cause you could hardly see the body but you could notice the bushy tail fluttering. I interrupted the hawk's squirrel dinner.

RR

 

[COUNTRY GIRL]

We had a dead snake in the driveway one day, one of those great big black ones. Well the crows were enjoying every second of that. My Brother and Sister-in law were coming up the driveway, (yup shorty ) interupting the crows feast. One of the crows decided to fly off with the snake, of course it was too heavy, so he dropped it right on the windshield of their truck. Should have heard the screams! Wish I had my camera for that one.

Thanks for the stories Folks!

 

[Cynangyl]

Oh dear goodness what I would not give to see a crow drop a snake on Shorty! rofl The windshield was a good one too tho!

 

[Bridge End Farm]

awesome,

I have seen them nail a pigeon in the air before

 

[Monty]

The big city nearby was having a huge problem with pigeons roosting in the underpasses and coating the sidewalks with bird poop. The health department said the droppings harbor all kinds of unfriendly to humans bacteria and it is very risky to walk through it or breathe the air. So, they imported some Paragen Falcons (SP?) from somewhere. They nest on the sides of the tallest buildings and love pigeons for dinner. I use to sit in my office and ever now and then see one of the falcons nail a pigeon! It was spectacular. They'd zoom into view as if coming from nowhere and bang! Feathers would fly and the unlucky prey would crash to the sidewalk. The little falcons would drag them off to one side and sit and feast and dare anyone to try to interfere. The falcons are very small but very fierce for their size. Monty

 

[COUNTRY GIRL]

Sis, I knew you'd get a kick out of that. I sure did! Wait until you hear about the Sea Gull.

Bridge, I saw a hawk of some sort (happened so fast I wasn't sure what kind of bird it was) come out of no where and scoff a blue jay off the ground. Boy did that jay screech!

Monty, do you think those Falcons would work on Sea Gulls? They are so nasty around here recently, poop all over the cars (do you know what that does to paint?), swear they are target practicing. Brought a nice shinny red car around for delivery and within 10 minutes they had peppered it, had to have been 20 poops from trunk to hood. Then a week or so ago "shorty" is standing out on the lot talking with a customer, I am watching from my office window, see a group of three Gulls fly over, then "shorty" dancing around wiping her hair. I knew exactly what had happened! I have to admit I could NOT stop laughing for hours. I know I'm bad.................but that there was funny!

 

[RGINN]

Great pics, CG. That boy of mine in Oklahoma is into falconry and uses hawks to hunt with. He raises and trains the local ones we have there. That's cool you got the pictures, hope you post more!

 

[COUNTRY GIRL]

RGINN, That's awesome! I'd love to see and hear more about your son and his amazing birds. Trust me you'll see plenty more from me.

 

[Cynangyl]

Sis, I knew you'd get a kick out of that. I sure did! Wait until you hear about the Sea Gull.

Bridge, I saw a hawk of some sort (happened so fast I wasn't sure what kind of bird it was) come out of no where and scoff a blue jay off the ground. Boy did that jay screech!

Monty, do you think those Falcons would work on Sea Gulls? They are so nasty around here recently, poop all over the cars (do you know what that does to paint?), swear they are target practicing. Brought a nice shinny red car around for delivery and within 10 minutes they had peppered it, had to have been 20 poops from trunk to hood. Then a week or so ago "shorty" is standing out on the lot talking with a customer, I am watching from my office window, see a group of three Gulls fly over, then "shorty" dancing around wiping her hair. I knew exactly what had happened! I have to admit I could NOT stop laughing for hours. I know I'm bad.................but that there was funny!

ROFL Goooooood seagull! Might be worth the work cleaning up after them if they would bomb her more often!

RGINN--That would be incredible to watch! I was always fascinated with the falcons and falconry growing up but that is one of the few animals I never had.

 

[Monty]

Sorry, I don't know how one would acquire the little falcons. There would have to be some very high roosting spots for them to stick around and as far as eating sea gulls. I haven't a clue. You might check with a local or non local university for that matter for some answers. Sounds like a possibility though. Monty