Outdoor Ontario

Photography => Ontario Birds => Topic started by: Brian Bailey on January 04, 2009, 09:41:33 PM

Title: Sharp-Shinned Hawk Eats a White-winged Crossbill
Post by: Brian Bailey on January 04, 2009, 09:41:33 PM

I found my first two White-winged Crossbills of the winter yesterday at Sam Smith Park.  Unfortunately, about a minute later, one of them was caught by a Sharp-Shinned Hawk.  He then perched on a low branch and allowed me to watch his feast.  Click your "Back" button if you're squeamish, but I found it fascinating in a gruesome kind of way.  I've rarely had such a good view of a raptor eating its prey.  I watched him for 10 minutes before he finally flew off.  I don't know if it was me, or the flock of scolding Chickadees that made him go.

In the last photo, you get a good look at the huge rear claw on the Crossbill.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3096/3168360413_05b18f77fb_b.jpg)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3267/3168360867_191df73741_b.jpg)
(http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1003/3169191046_e9512b6a51_b.jpg)
(http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1049/3169191470_74330019a1_b.jpg)

BB

Title: Hawk Pics
Post by: JTF on January 04, 2009, 09:49:13 PM

Great series of pics depicting nature in action, well done.

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Post by: Kin Lau on January 04, 2009, 10:09:50 PM

It's amazing when they have prey and let you get so close.

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Post by: Anonymous on January 04, 2009, 10:10:26 PM

Beautiful sequence!

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Post by: JMCDA on January 15, 2009, 12:25:25 PM

That must have been something to actually see the hawk nabbing the bird you were just looking at!  Great series of shots...they don't really care if you take pictures of them when they have a meal to devour. I haven't seen a crossbill here since they flew through at the end of October.... which might be a good thing.

This is our current somewhat unwelcome backyard visitor finishing off an unlucky sparrow in the large evergreen behind our house.  Not quite as brazen (yet) as the "sharpie" we had last year that would often perch on my clothesline pole... which is attached to our deck and only 10' from the backdoor/windows.  If it had a meal it would drop down to the lattice support and pick away at it, leaving the feathers behind for me to mourn...

(....I had pics of that one on the post, from about 5' away but lost them in a computer failure (((sigh)))

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3533/319 ... 8a.jpg?v=0 (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3533/3198802011_8fc5015e8a.jpg?v=0)

Joann

Title:
Post by: David Shilman on January 24, 2009, 06:26:02 AM

Quote from: "JMCDA"

...they don't really care if you take pictures of them when they have a meal to devour. ...

...I had pics of that one on the post, from about 5' away...

Joann

You really think there is no distance too close to approach a feeding bird?