The thread wherein I post pics of hooters and chicks

[IronWing]

June 21, 2018 (Summer Solstice)

Cooper's hawk on nest, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona

June 22, 2018
Copper's hawk chick on nest, probably one to two days old. There were at least two chicks in the nest, extremely hard to photograph.

June 23, 2018
One owl chick is still hanging out near the suburb nest. It is almost as big as mom now.

 

[lxskllr]

What kind of tree is that? Looks like an acorn, but not like any oak I'm familiar with.

 

[IronWing]

Silverleaf oak, Arizona's sky islands have a bunch of different oak species.

 

[IronWing]

July 01, 2018
I went back to the Cooper's Hawk nest to see what I could see.

The first thing I spied was a foot.

While the foot was flexing its toes I noticed an eyeball in the background.

So far I've counted three hawk chicks. It this pic, the chick is panting because it was stupid hot.

Pretty much a nest-full of cute and fuzzy.

I also saw a female elegant trogon which apparently is a big deal if you're a bird nerd. No pics.

 

[IronWing]

July 01, 2018 (cont')

Okay, the time for cute and fuzzy is past. Mom's back and it's feeding time! If blood and guts ain't your thing, skip this post, the cute and fuzzy will continue in the next post.

 

[IronWing]

July 02, 2018

Mom was back this morning parting out another unfortunate but she was finishing up as I was setting up the scope so no feeding pics today. Back to our regularly scheduled cute and fuzzy, with only minor dried blood.

 

[IronWing]

July 02, 2018 (cont')

As a special treat…

Last night:

This morning:

I also saw a male elegant trogon this morning. The males are easier to find because they make a lot of noise.

 

[IronWing]

July 04, 2018

I was talking with a neighbor the other evening and mentioned photographing the owl nest. She asked, "You mean the one down by the store?" Me, "Hmmm." So yesterday I spent a bit of time staring into the trees near the store and spied two mostly grown great horned owl chicks. The light wasn't good for photography so I went back this morning. One chick and one adult were in the tree. If the second chick was in the tree, it was well hidden. This wasn't the nest tree. I found one tree that might have served as the nest tree but the nest would have been fairly close to the ground and close to store traffic. So that's three great horned owl nests for the year.

The chick was very sleepy.

Around here, the males tend to be darker than the females so I think this chick is a male.

Likewise the males also tend to have much more contrast in their facial feathers so I think this is dad hanging out with the chick.

 

[Darwin333]

You posted pictures of a birds foot? Seriously? At least post pics of the whole damn bird FFS and most of those aren't even decent eating sized birds.

 

[IronWing]

You posted pictures of a birds foot? Seriously? At least post pics of the whole damn bird FFS and most of those aren't even decent eating sized birds.

I've posted three pictures of bird feet thus far. Let's see pics of your feet (and no, your camel toe doesn't count) if you don't like my feet pics.

 

[IronWing]

July 10, 2018
Cooper's Hawk nest

I went back to the nest yesterday and today. It was drizzling rain. The Cooper's Hawk chicks mature much faster than the owl chicks I've been following. The oldest of these birds is about three weeks old now. The youngest wasn't hatched when I found the nest. There are four chicks so far.

The older two chicks are fledged but hang around the nest as this is where the parents feed them.

This is the look one wears after kicking one's sib out of the nest. The older birds take turns pushing each other out of the nest and the nest is 70-80 feet off the ground. If owls are from Athens, Cooper's hawks are from SPARTA! Get tough or die.

July 11, 2018
One of the fledglings waiting for breakfast.

Owl impersonation.

This will be the last update for this nest as gaining access to the nest requires renting a cabin adjacent to the nest and the cabin is booked up for the next few weeks.

 

[ultimatebob]

Hey IronWing, the illustrious and secretive Coolcoin Council has (finally) decided to award this thread with a Coolcoin! Please send me a PM if you want to collect it.

 

[IronWing]

Follow up:

I posted these pics of Elegant Trogons over on the pic of the day thread in the camera forum back in mid-August.

Male trogon

Female trogon

The male (top pic) is feeding caterpillars to the chicks in the nest hole. Birders report that my Cooper's Hawks ate the trogon chicks. /

 

[sdifox]

Henceforth thou shall be known as the chick stalker

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Great pics. Definitely need more tits though.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Great pics. Definitely need more tits though.

And ass

 

[IronWing]

I visited the Peregrine Fund's Birds of Prey Center in Boise, Idaho this week. A pair of condors were playing chase around the flight cage. The gray headed bird probably hatched last year. I haven't found an age for the adult yet. The Peregrine Fund breeds condors for release at the Vermilion Cliffs on the north rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. The next release is scheduled for next Saturday. I may drive up there for that.

 

[IronWing]

The town owls are playing kissy face in a tree near their nest today. I spotted the suburb male yesterday. Soon will be time for a new thread.

 

[shortylickens]

 

[blackangst1]

I LOVE your owl pics IW. Absolutely beautiful! And great photography skills as well!