It's nice to see signs of spring here and there. These are shots I took hiking with Double D in between birding field trips.
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| Two boaters at Greenwood Park. I really want to learn to kayak or canoe the waterways. It looks like such a peaceful activity. |
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| Fishing pier at Greenwood |
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| Can any birders out there help identify this hawk? |
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Double D spotted him on the street light as we were returning home late one afternoon.
He quickly pulled into an adjacent parking lot like a well-trained birding assistant should. :) |
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| Rickety bridge at Waddill Wildlife Refuge |
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| Wildflower at Waddill |
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| Trillium, also at Waddill |
We had a not so nice surprise with our Honda when the engine light came on over the weekend. Apparently, the unseasonably cold weather caused squirrels to climb underneath the car and chew the wires--a $630 repair. I'm sure this is payback for all the Pam I sprayed on the bird feeding station. Grrrrr. Our pest control person came out and put sticky boards underneath both cars. I really hope they stay away because I don't want to deal with that mess.
Linking to
Wild Bird Wednesday. Thank you, Stewart!
40 comments:
My sister had that happen to her car too it was only four months old she was not amused:)
Awesome shots as usual. Hug B
Beautiful shots! Whilst I'm not a birder I am a hawk enthusiast and it looks like a juvenile red shouldered hawk to me.
wow, that makes me want to go for a ride. kayaking ride that is. we heard folks riding in the waters yesterday - lots of noise ... it was in the 70's so that explains it all. so perfect - now they are calling for really bad winds & some snow!?!? what??! ( :
Is it Cooper's Hawk????
perhaps a red-tailed hawk? Hawks are so difficult to ID in my opinion. I'll leave the experts to decipher which it is.
Love the fishing pier image today...so tranquil.
http://www.hawkquest.org/mews/Red-tailed_Hawk.jpg
My first thought was red-tailed hawk, but I'm no expert. It looked like the tail on your hawk might be red, though. In any case, your photos of it are stunningly beautiful. Love the shot of the rickety bridge, too. As for kayaking...check for alligators first! :)
I love all critters (uh, except roaches)...but the wild flower grabbed and shook me :)
oh, rotten squirrels!
not sure on the hawk. my first thought was red-shoulder as he didn't have a distinct white bib like a red-tail, but his tail feathers really are red. :)
The trillium is lovely!
Love the birds. I thought red-shouldered because that's what all my hawks here in Florida ever are.
I've been wanting to kayak for a long time too. Bill found a tandem on sale a couple of months ago but we've been too busy to use it yet. One of these days.... I agree it looks so peaceful. (My friend said if she and her husband tried to kayak together it wouldn't be peaceful at all. We shall see.)
Such wonderful photos! Gorgeous! And this hawk is a beauty!
Tiy git sine beautiful shots, loved the ones of the hawk.
Good grief, I really should check the keys before I post.
I can just imagine paddling down that waterway; how wonderfully peaceful it would be.
The waterway looks so calm. I'd love to kayak it, too. I wonder if the hawk's foot was hurt or if he was just resting it? The wildflower photos are wonderful!
That hawk looked like he was in a stare down with the camera. My fav pix in this group, though, was the fishing pier. You captured those gentle, quiet colors of spring beautifully--doubly so with the reflection in the water.
Beautiful photos! Of course, I love the hawk! Glad you're enjoying the birding outings!
i have always wanted to kayak but waited to long last spring and then i felt it would be too hot!! for me, the weather would have to be cool but i really want to try it as well!!
i'm not sure about the hawk. perhaps an immature one!!
i am starting to see signs of spring as well, yours are beautiful!!
Wonderful hawk shot and I love the pretty wildflowers. Hubby and I have been canoeing but I have not tried kayaking.. Some critter chewed my wires too, luckily our insurance covered the repair.
Red trillium...one of my favorites! We have just got to move south, we are still totally snow covered! We had mice nibble wires once too, so sorry to hear that!
How beautiful your trip and red trilliums blooming!!
Oh no!! those little squirrels were not behaving!! sorry! Enjoyed these interesting pics. I agree with you...kayaking looks like it could be so peaceful. Of course, I don't know how to swim so this could create a problem for me. Take a look at those claws on that hawk...those things could hurt! lol.
Happy Wednesday evening..
shug
Amazing photos my friend. That would be fun to go canoeing but are there gators in that water? That stinks what those varmints did to your car. I do hope the traps work.
Hugs~
Oh, those rodents!
Thanks for sending a bit of spring...am seeing some promise here!
What lovely photos of the hawk! So clear. And I love your signs of spring. We are seeing a few here, but it has gotten cold here again.
Great shots! Thanks for the tip about the sticky board. Mice and squirrels have all done a number on several of our vehicles.
Oh Gail, that Hawk is incredible! And the photo of the bridge in the woods is so pretty :)
Hugs to you!
All beautiful shots!!
You would love kayaking!! So easy and you don't even hurt after doing it!!
"Try it - you'll like it!"
:-}}
Beautiful pictures. I am pretty sure this is a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk.
The lake is beautiful and the hawk is very handsome.
Really wonderful pictures.....looks like a beautiful day out. I am needing one of those days soon:)
Wonderful photos.. yours always are. Love that hawk.
I'm so sorry you've had so much damage done to your vehicle and I can understand how frustrating and upsetting that must be. I have to ask if there's another way to deter them, aside from sticky boards which, if I am understanding them correctly sounds terribly inhumane.
There are some options here which include spraying animal repellent, hot pepper and/or mothballs here:
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/keeping-squirrels-from-nesting-in-your-car-in-winter#b
Great hawk images and very lovely shares~
Again..such fabulous shots! And I LOVE that little violet(?) image. (DH noticed a squirrel crawl under the pickup during the winter....was able to get it out before any damage. Personally, the sticky boards don't offend me, nor do I consider them to be terrible things...although I'd never heard of them until your two posts!)
Wonderful post, Gail!
Careful what you wish for on that kayak/canoe thing! It can be a lot of fun, is a great way to bird and can make a great photography platform. However, it's a "labor intensive" kind of thing! Be sure you're with someone strong and stock up on muscle cream! :)
I think your beautiful raptor is an adult eastern race Red-tailed Hawk. The rich brown of his head continues down into the breast a bit, the breast is overall light-colored with streaks across the "belly", the throat appears to be light-colored (although in shadow) and there are no apparent bands on the tail, which is fringed in rufous. Also, most juvenile Red-tails will have paler yellowish eyes instead of the dark brown of your subject.
Splendid photograph!
I'm definitely no expert so would welcome other opinions!
Ohhh .... this beautiful pictures! The kayak in the water is nice but the 2nd picture is really a wonderful photo. Also you buzzard is great and your flowers. This is enjoying Gail.
Beautiful Bird!
I'm jealous that you are seeing wildflowers already!
Oh how sad about the wiring problem and how expensive! Very frustrating.
I have missed a bunch of your posts lately. pardon. I love the warm and natural shots that are always so well done, my friend.
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