Friday, November 30, 2007

Hork

hork

12 comments:

  1. Nat,

    You are probably too close, at least on that overhead one. Good catch.

    - Josh

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  2. What kind of BOP is that? It doesn't look like a adult Red-Tailed Hawk to me... Maybe a juvie?

    - Josh

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  3. Scroll down to the last entry and see this poor bastard...

    http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.enaturalist.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/red-tail1.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.rtpi.org/%3Fm%3D200612&h=1380&w=1035&sz=148&hl=en&start=18&tbnid=p-66CLjUM7uXiM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=113&prev=

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  4. Sorry...
    http://www.rtpi.org/?m=200612

    - Josh

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  5. It's likely a sharp-shinned hawk. There's an outside chance it's a cooper's hawk, but I don't think that's very likely - it has yellow eyes and seemed really small.

    I'm going to say that my being "too close" to it is not really a problem for an animal that feeds on CP squirrels, but I will also say that once it saw me from above, it moved to a much better place to eat; much more secluded, and not near a door that would constantly be opened and passed through. Then again, it almost flew into some kid on a phone on its way there... squirrel legs dangling down and everything, and the guy didn't even notice.

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  6. Nat,

    Yeah, the side shot for a CP hawk really isn't too close. The from above shot makes me a little concerned, because even in the photo you can tell the bird was more than a little aware of your presence.

    The species isn't endangered, so it isn't like anybody is going to get pissed at you or anything. I'm just warning you in case you ever do any shooting with other birders. They would have been pissed at you. Not really because you scared the bird, but because you scared it AWAY, and they'd have lost their shot.

    I"m glad I took those few days and shot pictures in the impromptu group shot of the Bald Eagles, because I picked up a lot of things that will keep me from being hung over a tree in the future.

    BTW, I'm looking at either a 70-200 4L or a 100-300 5.L, both really sharp lenses, to replace my stupid 70-300. It did get me those shots of the woodpecker, but it is a really crappy wildlife lens.

    And another black squirrel bites the dust...


    - Josh

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  7. I'd have trouble photographing with other birders for other reasons... but yeah, probably. The hawk was, at least, engaged in natural behavior - just assuming we were interested in taking its squirrel. For me, it's remarkable that it didn't fly away while we were looking at it from the side. Prinkki found it by almost being flown into, and it frightened itself down into that ditch. Silly cats.

    Well, I'm sure one way or the other, there's now a lovely inside-out pile of squirrel next to the outer door to KEY 0106.

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  8. I really just want it to be next year, and hopefully the release of the 300/4 will happen. It's either that or trying to get a copy of the Tokina AT-X 80-400 from before when they stopped producing it. That lens, by all accounts, is magnificent.

    I liked the results I saw with the Tamron 200-500, as well, but that never was produced in K.

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  9. Nat,

    I just did something I bet you've never done. I washed my suitcase, with carpet cleaner, in the bathtub.

    See, the dog has apparently been peeing on the edges and handles of the suitcase. The suitcase, being black, never showed any indication of the abuse. And I though he was limiting himself to the pads while I was gone...

    - Josh

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  10. Nat,

    Youtube has solved a question I've had for several years now... How the heck did Scipio escape the dog gate the first day I left him alone when I first got him.

    Apparently Chihuahuas can climb fences.

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=MDw5hdv4iNw&feature=related
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=_wwUHcgJvDU&feature=related
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=Zhs1XCapuIo

    I knew dogs could climb fences, but sheesh, their tiny feet fit perfectly in the gaps...

    - Josh

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  11. You're correct, the carpet cleaner thing is new... I'd probably be more disgusted by the scent of it than dog urine, though. At least, resolve, anyway. I can't stand the scent of that stuff.

    Doesn't surprise me that the dog can climb... dogs tend to be smarter than I give them credit for, and I wouldn't give a dog credit for figuring out how to climb a fence.

    Sunday, I'm going to meet a potential "my cat" up near Philly. This cat, named Spencer (which is one letter away from my brother's version of that name), is a five and a half year old white short hair, and is deaf. I've been without my own local cat since 2000, so it's about time that I had a pet. I guess I need something to pay attention to after work.

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