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Dinner Time!
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Dinner Time!

by Lucy VanSwearingen

Gallery: AvianPosted February 9, 20181,045 views6 comments
It's "Dinner Time" at my "Hawk Buffet"...AKA cluster of bird feeders and birdbath.  This is one of my permanent residents on my property.  She has a mate, who shows up near her from time to time.   I'm assuming, that this is a female since she's around all the time.  

Lately, the red winged raiders have been cleaning out my feeders .....they swoop down in the hundreds after a few dramatic murmurations.   She is helping me keep the feeders free for the smaller birds.  She doesn't seem too interested in them.

Comments

6 comments
Comment posted by Lucy VanSwearingen on February 9, 2018 at 6:43 AM
Here is one of the red winged raiders gleaning the last of the seeds from this feeder!
Registered on May 23, 2009, 800 Posts, 2042 Comments
Comment posted by Lucy VanSwearingen on February 9, 2018 at 6:44 AM
And this is how the raider looks, as my red shouldered hawk comes swooping in!
Registered on May 23, 2009, 800 Posts, 2042 Comments
Comment posted by Ed Williams on February 9, 2018 at 12:55 PM
Cool series Lucy. Especially the last one. Nice red shouldered hawk on a nice perch and well captured with nice detail. 
Registered on December 28, 2010, 636 Posts, 3499 Comments
Comment posted by Dennis Plank on February 9, 2018 at 9:19 PM
Nice pose, Lucy.  It certainly looks interested in something down there.  Did you do some cloning of stuff behind the head?  The edges of the plumage have that look.
Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments
Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on February 9, 2018 at 10:30 PM
Gives another meaning to the term "bird feeder," doesn't it? Very nice shot, Lucy.
Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments
Comment posted by Lucy VanSwearingen on February 10, 2018 at 6:33 PM
No cloning at all.  Just a strong backlighting effect, which made the feathers on the hawk's head look a little "funky".  I really like how relaxed she is with her foot up....just biding her time, casually, until she decides to swoop in and make the catch! 

I do like the 3rd "action" photo of the rw blackbird.   I am thinking about putting it in the art gallery...What do y'all think?
Registered on May 23, 2009, 800 Posts, 2042 Comments