We have a resident HAWK

[Dona]

We noticed a young redtail hawk a few weeks ago, was spending quite a bit of time around our barn & pastures. Well, it has gotten to the point where he is here on a daily basis, and is usually seen hopping around on the ground in the yard where the grove of trees are. Couldn't figure out why he always seemed to be on the ground so much until I did some research. They eat moles & we have TONS of them! They just have the ground so dug up with their tunnels... mowing that area is a real pain in the butt (LITERALLY!)

So, we want to keep this guy around as long as he wants to stay. He doesn't seem to have much fear of us & the activity around the barn doesn't seem to bother him at all. He even lets me get pretty close to him to get pictures. I've been within 6 feet of him before he decided to hop away or fly up into the tree.

He is big...about 1 1/2 - 2 feet in length!

Once, our pyrenees came up behind him while the hawk was engrossed in searching for something in the ground. He didn't notice the dog until he was about two feet away from him. The hawk turned around & was startled & did his "wings out eagle impression"

and they had a "stare down" match. It was so funny....I wish I had a camera for that one! The dog backed away & the hawk flew up into the old oak tree in the middle of the pasture.

Here he is in a tree:

And this picture was just a case of being in the right place at the right time.

I had my camera with me & was walking below the trees...kinda looking for him. I decided to sit down & just be quiet. I hadn't even got all the way down yet, when the hawk landed no more than two feet from me! I don't know who was more startled...him or me!

I snapped the picture before he had a chance to realize what he did & fly off.

I just love the country! We have a family of skunks I'm trying to get pictures of too. The babies are just Toooooooo cute! I got within 6 - 7 feet of them last week, but when the 3 "babies" turned out to be two babies nursing on the mother...I backed off BIG TIME!

I didn't have my camera with me that time either....guess I should start wearing it around my neck!

 

[Gena]

Cool photos Dona! I enjoyed hearing about your summer country adventures, thanks for sharing! We love the country like you do and I need to carry my camera around so I can get some photos like you have. The skunks sound adorable! We have hawks and eagles fly over and enjoy watching them but haven't had one stick around very long like you have. We have seen here this summer a mama fox and her two pups that play together so cute. The mama likes to jump far in the air to pounce on mice, I need to get that on video! Quite often two mama turkeys walk through with 13 babies - so far there are still 13 so the fox hasn't bothered them. I did get them on video and should get that up on youtube. Then yesterday we saw a mama whitetail with a young fawn that still had its spots - it ran out of the woods but then walked on the black top the same way a foal does for the first time, sooo carefully and so darn cute!!!

 

[Dona]

Cool photos Dona! I enjoyed hearing about your summer country adventures, thanks for sharing! We love the country like you do and I need to carry my camera around so I can get some photos like you have. The skunks sound adorable! We have hawks and eagles fly over and enjoy watching them but haven't had one stick around very long like you have. We have seen here this summer a mama fox and her two pups that play together so cute. The mama likes to jump far in the air to pounce on mice, I need to get that on video! Quite often two mama turkeys walk through with 13 babies - so far there are still 13 so the fox hasn't bothered them. I did get them on video and should get that up on youtube. Then yesterday we saw a mama whitetail with a young fawn that still had its spots - it ran out of the woods but then walked on the black top the same way a foal does for the first time, sooo carefully and so darn cute!!!

Awwwwwwww......would LOVE to see those videos!

 

[Gena]

Awwwwwwww......would LOVE to see those videos!

I will work on getting the turkey one uploaded. I haven't caught the fox jumping on video yet but found an awesome one on you tube you would enjoy that shows how high they can jump, pretty amazing!

 

[Dona]

I will work on getting the turkey one uploaded. I haven't caught the fox jumping on video yet but found an awesome one on you tube you would enjoy that shows how high they can jump, pretty amazing!

AMAZING video!!!!! Thanks for the link.....that was really cool! Years ago, we had a den of red foxes in the thicket behind our pond. I enjoyed watching the baby kits play around the edge of the pond almost daily. Wish I had it on video, but that was back before I had a camcorder.

 

[ontherisefarm]

We have one that lives somewhere near to us as I see it flying all the time and hear it scream... Beautiful birds...

 

[AnnaC]

What a beautiful bird - well done for getting the pictures and thanks for posting them.

Anna

 

[HGFarm]

Beautiful bird!! We have quite a few hawks here in the desert but they dont let you get that close!!!! Dont let the dog get hold of it! Wow... they are such regal birds.

 

[twister]

What a beautiful bird and beautiful pics too.

Yvonne

 

[topnotchminis]

Great pictures.