Observations & Images
8 July 2006
North Nest/South Nest
North Nest
South Nest
THE NEIGHBORS
|
|
Observations & Images
|
|
North Nest |
|
| Dawn was obscured by a heavily overcast sky that threatened rain. The male north nest Osprey was sleeping in late which is common for both the north nest pair now that their parental responsibilities have been taken away from them. | |
South Nest |
|
|
At the south nest the fledgling made some nervous flights that always ended with it back in the nest crying out hungrily for breakfast. The threat of rain cut short my visit so I did not see how the morning turned out. |
THE NEIGHBORS |
|
| The drama of the day occurred just before sunrise so, sadly, the lighting was awful. On 6 July I was lucky to have a chance encounter with a Red-Tailed Hawk. This morning I had an encounter with not one but two Red-Shouldered Hawks who did not seem happy with each other. In photographing the Hawk at right I noticed another Hawk was sitting nearby watching. | |
|
When I turned the camera on the second Hawk it flew off its perch toward the Red-Shouldered Hawk above. |
| The two sparred in the air. As the Hawks went after each other they descended down into the trees and out of sight. | |
|
When they appeared again one of the Hawks was beating a hasty retreat while the other claimed a new perch. |
| A few minutes passed in which all was quiet. | |
|
Without warning the second Hawk reappeared and the Hawks were at it again. |
| Note the Hawk at left is still grasping on to the tree limb. | |
|
The aggressor Hawk lands on the limb. |
| The Hawk at left decides it has met its match. | |
|
And wings away out of sight. |
| The winner of the contest settles on the limb having driven the other Hawk out of the area. | |
|
A male and a female Wood Duck were perched on top of dead palm trees near the north Osprey nest. Here the male is pictured when the pair finally flew off together. |