I was fooling around with my camera in my backyard this morning trying out some different settings, when I heard a sharp hoarse cry in the sky. Looking up I saw a red-tailed hawk being harrassed by two small birds. I took a few pictures until the trio disappeared. In the third photo it looks as if the smaller bird is right above the hawk. I am not sure what those smaller birds were; someone suggested great crested flycatcher and another eastern kingbird; they look like two different species. It's probably going to be unresolved - the resolution is just not good enough.
...it always amazes me when I see smaller birds attacking and running off a big hawk. Around my house, they sually they are starlings, but your birds are definitely not starlings! Could they be Cliff Swallows? The second photo when enlarged seems to have their markings.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kelly. Cliff swallows is one possibility - I don't think that question is ever going to resolved. Thanks for your input.
ReplyDeleteThey might be Eastern Kingbirds since they seem to have a black and white appearance and I've often seen EAKIs defend their nests in pairs.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lance. I agree that one of the two is probably an Eastern Kingbird. I have observed a couple of Kingbirds sitting at the very top of several tall pine trees in our neighborhood. I am not sure about the other one.
ReplyDeleteI got dived bombed by a red hawk today who was being chased by a mocking bird. Mocking birds are viscous when they have babies around. I heard the hawk but thought it was a young Osprey. There are tons of them around the lake where I live, Florida. The hawk came so close, I ducked. lol speaking of ducks, your mallard is called a crested mallard. the hair do is cause by defective gene. great pics
ReplyDeleteMaureen