Another Red Shoulder Hawk Falls at White Rock--Graphic Warning

It's always a sad day to spot beautiful raptors that I have been watching as they established a new territory along White Rock Creek lay lifeless alongside the road. This one was a fresh kill and less than 12-hours had passed most likely, judging from the insects and ants population not very heavy upon the body. The time frame was about right. This bird had probably been on his morning feed when he was hit.

The first thing that I do is to inspect the bird to see if the bird is banded. If so, then I try to get a shot of the band and the numbering ID system on the band so that it can be reported. There was no banding on this animal. Then, after shooting several images, the documentation is complete except to note the location where it was found. The image has an auto ID date and time stamp of the discovery. Last week I got several shots of a new Red Shoulder sitting high in a cottonwood along White Rock Creek that I had not seen there before. He's usually sitting there daily about the same time that I make my rounds. In fact, I was looking at the tree branch that sticks out near the top of the canopy when I spotted this kill along the roadway. Now, I will be watching to see if I see a Red Shoulder on the same branch or not. If not, then this bird was that hawk for sure.

I have debated whether to post the image or not as some will think that it is graphic. So, after the a lot of thought and consideration of others; the increased number of wildlife that I have report on this year alone from pelicans, ducks, to other red shoulders, to lots of armadillos on the roadways at the lake, it is a fact of life and in the public interest, people should be aware that sharing the lake means sharing it with the wildlife, as well. So, take this as a warning that the following photos maybe graphic for some readers.

A Young Red Shoulder Hawk

This Red Shoulder Had Been Seen Recently in the area  along White Rock Creek. It is most likely a 1-2 year old just establishing his territory.

On The Last Day of Fall, A Red Shoulder Gave To Me

a chance to get some very unique images of textures. It was on my return trip out that I got to see him fly low and over the the tops of the tall prairie grasses. He was hunting, I am  sure, but do not  know what it was the he was hunting. A mouse, a rabbit, maybe? But, while the images are a bit darker of his face, the feather features and the backgrounds were good for posters.

I was on the DFW HD cam this morning  watching the sunrise. The thought hit me that the sunrise was more like a sunrise on some distant planet---it was really weird in a way, although pretty as could be. Then, this afternoon while I came up on the Red Shoulder sitting on a branch over the road just as pretty as  you please, I shot from the car, then parked and shot from the car again and then got out, walked under the tree, around the tree, crossed the road and shot back at this amazing bird. It was like, okay, I see you and I see your camera and its the holidays and go ahead an take some pictures. I have been seeing him more and more lately. He has also allowed more camera time without flying off. But, as I came back down the run, he took off on that flight over the tall grasses mentioned above. So, I walked down to the edge of the lake and was looking at the reflection in the water. It caused me to look up at the sky and the clouds were doing that strange kind of light as I had seen this morning on the DFW webcam.It's really weird to see how they have been so different and yet, that has duplicated it again within the same day. Strange. I observe a lot of things and have  for way to many years. These are somehow different and more strange. It's just hard to explain. I wish that I had gotten a screen shot of the sky this morning at DFW. Then, I could have compared the two in likeness.

Imagine the middle row of clouds being sunrise yellow and you have the DFW image this morning at sunrise.

Red Shoulder not phased that I was under the tree clicking away.

Cute! I was at a stop sign and saw this. It was just to good to pass up. Creative design and placement without doubt. It's another Red Shoulder, I do believe.

It's Nesting Time Again.

There is a pair of Red Shoulder Hawks that I have followed for the past five years. Even on the days where I don't go specifically to the lake, I will drive by the area from the upper road to see if I can see them surfing the thermals. Today, was one of those times when all the bells and whistles went off as I drove by a road sign and saw the female sitting on the top of the sign.

 Quickly, I made the block and came back around  from another angle. To my surprise, there she sat in the same place on the sign top. Putting the window down on the passenger side before I came to a full stop, her attention was on me but her focus was on the ground below the sign. I had a clear shot of that area. Even without checking settings, I fired off three quick shots for reference. Then, in a flash, she takes off from the sign and glides over the grass area between the shoulder and the incline were I was parked. Into the grass she landed. For a quick bit, I had begun to wonder if she had been injured. She stood up  with a field mouse in her beak. I had gotten the shots of her in a final moment of a hunt that was successful. The next thirty-eight minutes was just amazing as she flew off over the road into a thicket of trees. I decided that I could not miss this action and gave in driving around to the entry of the park about a mile or two away.

Parking the car, I got out and slowly walked into the thicket watching for shadows on the ground and any movement in the trees. Nothing. It was at that point that I wanted to get a fix on the location of the sign where I had seen her first and  where she had flown this way. Walking quietly and slowly through the thicket, I came up on the road from the opposite side from where I had been in the car. Walking down the roadway on the shoulder with traffic whizzing by has plenty of room to walk and not be in an unsafe spot. My intentions were to walk around the thicket and come back to my car  that I had parked in one of the lots. For some reason, I stopped to photograph the sign from across the road when there was movement in the corner of my eye.

Looking up, there was the most amazing hawk in just the right spot doing just the right thing. Perched on a branch in clear site, she sat there while I got off plenty of  images. The sun was back lighting her right side (anatomically correct) so I risk moving and upsetting her, but she continued to sit there watching me. I do talk to wildlife. She got the, pretty bird routine. I moved back and forth several times covering and recovering 20 or so yards. She continued to just sit there on her perch. Then, I hear the screech of her mate from overhead. I looked up to see him appearing to be ridding the thermals, but in reality, he was busy defending his territory as I found out later when the aerial battle began.

There was a Red-Tail Hawk along with the Red Shoulder. Both were attacking a pair of big crows with sticks in their mouths in mid air. It appeared that the crows were starting to build a nest in the hawks territories and they both joined in the fight to defend the range. I have a blur shot of one crow in flight with the stick as nesting material and at least one of the hawks. I'm still learning how to switch back and forth from pre-set settings and those images are more blur. I am always amazed that I can shoot jets coming in from 130 to 170 MPH and not blur an image but something about real birds gets me excited and I blur the images. I'm still working on the problem. But, to me, at this point, the experience is captured in clean shots and the blur shots all the same. That tells a story, too!

It was a good day and I came home.

The Field Mouse Is No More

The Female Red Shoulder Hawk that just  finished  the mouse.

The Male Red Shoulder had to defend his own territory from the crow after the Red Tail drove the crow into the Red Shoulders Territory. Boundaries are Boundaries!

A Much Better Look At The Red Shoulder

This afternoon as what low level clouds there were had burned off, the sunlight, blue sky and moderate winds not only lifted my spirits, but brought me an afternoon in nature that was just absolutely stunning. And, if that alone was not enough, it got even better, if that  could be possible.

Long story short, patience pays but knowing that it pays even rewards you more. After the discovery of the nest and the mated pair of red shoulders refreshing the enormous nest from last year, I have been watching this particular nest for the 2017 season. There are at least 7 known nest that have some activity with other red shoulders. While the red tails are a bit larger, the red shoulders have become a favorite of mine. The only thing that would stir more interest would be to see a nesting pair of ospreys or, of course, the American Bald Eagles that still show up at White Rock from time to time.

Here is the reason that the afternoon was such a delight.

Tender buds are out and so are the squirrels eating their fill.

This was an amazing young red shoulder to watch. The male was sitting in his usual place high in the nest tree. Later, for here, she dives into a thicket, grabs a mouse and comes half way back up to her blending perch that almost caused me to miss seeing her entirely.

And, of course, with Valentines coming up after the weekend, Happy Valentines Day to all.

A Very New Resident at the Lake

It's not that I do not  like photographing birds, it's more that I enjoy watching them go about their normal daily routines more. I've been watching two bird nest cams for a couple of months and have learned a vast amount of things that birds do. It's more like John Muir. Observe and leave no footprint. I've seen experienced birders come plopping through like it was a grand picnic gathering!

Yesterday, I was able to do the John Muir thing and found the second nest of a pair of red shoulder hawks in a matter of a few minutes. First, you listen. The female on the nest will call out to her mate for nest change duties and even food for the kiddos. It's a screeching sound.  It sounds like a crying out. Also, the male will never be far away from the nest. The nest is in his territory and he protects that airspace from intruders. It's kind of like a fighter jet being scrambled  when a plane wanders into controlled air space.

Then, secondly, you watch such things as shadows on the ground of bigger birds, especially if there is an open area near the nesting site. Dad will be flying overhead to the nest, but never directly from where he is. It's a diversion plan that nature plants an inate ability to do such things from birth. Nature's software implant, if you will. It took three trips around before the male actually made it to the nest. The pattern was like a triangle elongated. Amazing, actually.

Then, finally, when the nest change is made or Dad flys off after delivering food to the nest, you watch to see where he went. Usually, it will be into a stand of trees. There is that inate non-direct route to the watchtower post where he watches the area near the nest. It's quite a routine. It's nature at its best.

From what I have learned from the Eagles nest is that feeding times will vary, usually the 10-11 and the 2-3 time slots are the best and most active for the nest. I applied that to the Red Shoulders and by-golly, it was like hitting the jack-pot.  I also observed something that I had never seen before. A Red Shoulder on the ground only a few feet away from a squirrel and it was like I know you are there but hey! they just mowed the grass and the bugs are like going to the Dairy Queen for ice cream!
No one was in panic mode and the Red Shoulder flew up into a tree en route to his scheduled weigh point to his hangout tree,having taken a few bugs while on the ground.

DISCLAIMER To My Editor, et al: In a lifetime of photography, I will never ever use a computer tool like Photoshop on any of my images. That is a deep seated law from years and years ago. Last night, when talking to a friend in an e-mail, I sent her the image to view since it was so cute. She photo shopped the image and sent it back to me. Therefore, there is one image that is out there that I am now aware of that has my numbering system on the photo with the added  word Kindle to the image. I am very sorry about that fact and have now destroyed the RAW image completely. Therefore, there is an amended copyright now that will show for that image MA203670_kindlephoto_52742762.jpg. That image has been altered from the original by a third party. dallaspaparazzo retains copyright for that image with the alteration noted and published herein.

Still, enjoy the cuteness

Diclaimer applied. Baby Red Shoulder Hawk at White Rock Lake.