Raptors in the Mist.

[elfs]

This morning, when we woke up, there was a beautiful falcon hanging out on a limb clearly visible from the back porch. We're not sure why she chose that particular branch. She was definitely awake; every once in a while her head would turn or she fluff her wings. We watched her while we ate breakfast, but eventually cleaning the kitchen and doing the laundry came to our attention.

Later that day, she was still there. I went outside and used the tripod to try and get a much better photo of her. She wasn't very helpful; I kept hoping she'd fluff a wing again or something, but other than turning her head every time a smaller bird flew by, she was very impassive, just perching there. Anyway, it was kinda cool to have a raptor so clearly nearby.

Comments

[hydrolagus.livejournal.com]

Based on the pictures, looks like maybe a red-tailed hawk. They're mainly mammal-eaters so that may be why she didn't go after the smaller birds: waiting for a nice tasty squirrel.

[mg4h.livejournal.com]

Ayup. The real giveaway is the pattern across the chest, and the otherwise lack of coloring below it. I think I can see the banding on the tailfeathers, which would make it a juvenile.

We've got a metric ton of them here in Pittsburgh, I can't go a week without seeing them, I swear.