Contributions of the group Raptors

Sparrowhawk Mantling

nobody@ipernity.com (Gavin Johnson) — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 08:05:38 +0000

In 2024 our local Starlings had a good year and raised about 40 young between them. I'd been photographing them in the morning, and had left the patio doors open and my camera on the table.

I heard a thump and a commotion outside, and saw that a Sparrowhawk had taken one of the juvenile Starlings. I was able to grab my camera and sit quietly for half an hour getting a long sequence of shots of the Sparrowhawk finishing its meal without disturbing it.

Apologies to anyone who finds this image distressing.

Sparrowhawk closeup

nobody@ipernity.com (Gavin Johnson) — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 08:05:39 +0000

Gavin Johnson has posted:

Sparrowhawk Stare

nobody@ipernity.com (Gavin Johnson) — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 08:05:40 +0000

Gavin Johnson has posted:

Sharpie surprised

nobody@ipernity.com (Justfolk) — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 17:11:54 +0000

Justfolk has posted:

I was outside the kitchen door, on the deck, watching a downy woodpecker skip around from branch to branch when suddenly this guy, our local Sharp-shinned hawk, dove at it.

The woodpecker got away and Sharpie took to a tree in the next yard to scan around. I was taking his picture at that distance when he lightly lifted off and flew directly towards me, landing on one of the posts of the deck.

I got a couple of pictures of him before he realised I wasn't part of the architecture, and he took off.

Morning to you, too !

nobody@ipernity.com (Peggy C) — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 16:08:00 +0000

Peggy C has posted:

www.ipernity.com/doc/peggyc/29100489/in/album/344907

2013 WAS THE LAST YEAR A PHOTO WAS TAKEN -
JUST SITTING -
LISTENING -
WATCHING -
OF COURSE -
FLEW INTO THE WHITE ASH TREE -
WATCHED AND WATCHED -
LOOKED FOR ANY MOVEMENT -
THEN -
ALL OF A SUDDEN -
HUGE WING SPAN -
AND GONE !

BUT, AT LEAST I SAW THIS MAGNIFICENT HAWK -
WHO LIVES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD -

1 PiP -
Red Tailed Hawk - usually seen flying over the neighborhood ..

Raptor Release

nobody@ipernity.com (Bruce Dean (Puchinpappy)) — Sun, 06 Jul 2014 23:23:45 +0000

Bruce Dean (Puchinpappy) has posted:

Merlin gets discharged from the rehabilitation center after a month of recuperation. We took him back where we found him as a juvenile. The volunteers at the center said that the parents will find him and teach him to hunt. We did not receive so much as a thank you from the bird.

A video of his physical exam: www.ipernity.com/doc/821673/33752109/in/album/686033

A still from his exam: www.ipernity.com/doc/821673/33752063/in/album/686033

Black Kite Hiding in Plain Sight

nobody@ipernity.com (Bruce Dean (Puchinpappy)) — Tue, 02 May 2017 00:42:44 +0000

Bruce Dean (Puchinpappy) has posted:

We required the keen eye of our guide to spot this Black Kite in the tree from our bus tour through Donana National Park, Spain. I had to take this one through the door of the bus.

American Kestrel

nobody@ipernity.com (Bruce Dean (Puchinpappy)) — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 04:10:49 +0000

Bruce Dean (Puchinpappy) has posted:

The Sunday Challenge: Birds

This is about as close as I got to any birds this week. They seemed to know that I was coming. I did finally get a photo of this bird which is never situated in a safe place for me to pull over an park. It rests on power lines along many roadways. Even at that I had to crop to get any detail of (we think its a) her.

Further down the road I found a murder of crows foraging in a recently harvested field. See Note.

Hawk Pair

nobody@ipernity.com (Ceropegia) — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 13:11:16 +0000

Ceropegia has posted:

Red shouldered hawks - I heard them calling, looked up, saw one on a limb, then saw one fly in. They were so far away they were little more than specks but I'm sure they were mating. However, by the time I was able to turn on the camera, locate them in the view finder, and zoom in, they were finished. Since I was shooting handheld, I was having difficulty holding the camera steady, so I consider myself quite fortunate to have managed to get a few halfway decent images. In my woods, Etowah County, Alabama (IMG_2494)

Red Shouldered Hawk

nobody@ipernity.com (Ceropegia) — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 13:10:25 +0000

Ceropegia has posted:

I heard hawks calling, looked up, saw one on a limb, then saw one fly in. They were so far away they were little more than specks but I'm sure they were mating. However, by the time I was able to turn on the camera, locate them in the view finder, and zoom in, they were finished. Shortly after one flew away. This one remained for a few more moments. Since I was shooting handheld, I was having difficulty holding the camera steady, so I consider myself quite fortunate to have managed to get a few halfway decent images. In my woods, Etowah County, Alabama (IMG_2514)

Bald Eagle on Nest

nobody@ipernity.com (Ceropegia) — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 07:09:12 +0000

Ceropegia has posted:

On TVA land near the Lake Guntersville Dam, Alabama (IMG_7593)

Juvenile Merlin with a Headache

nobody@ipernity.com (Bruce Dean (Puchinpappy)) — Sun, 06 Jul 2014 22:55:40 +0000

Bruce Dean (Puchinpappy) has posted:

I found this little fellow unable to fly after what we suppose was an unfortunate encounter with a plate glass window. I boxed him up and we found a raptor rehabilitation center. He had a concussion so they put him in a hyperbaric chamber then kept him until his baby feathers were gone. The sign of a concussion is how wide his irises are even with a bright light shining on them. Look carefully and you will see.

To see a video of his physical examination: www.ipernity.com/doc/821673/33752109

To see him released back into the wild: www.ipernity.com/doc/821673/33752171

oh, it's you - again

nobody@ipernity.com (Peggy C) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 17:46:25 +0000

Peggy C has posted:

.. yes, took her photo last year
.. she still manages to glare at me
.. against the blue canvas backdrop
.. she is a beauty
.. even if I get 'the Look'

[ Florida during Osprey-season ]

^no enhancement^
cropped/watermark only -
www.picmonkey.com

- to really get an up close look at an Osprey nest, view this site:

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Osprey/id

SOOC

© All Rights Reserved

Juvenile flight -

nobody@ipernity.com (Peggy C) — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 01:41:24 +0000

Peggy C has posted:

- soaring
- checking out those huge wings
- his sister was nearby in the nest
- chirping at him
- but didn't join him in the aerial test
- saw no parents
- that is all it means .. I was probably seen
- wonder when they start fishing?
(c) All Rights Reserved
www.picmonkey.com

Osprey -

nobody@ipernity.com (Peggy C) — Sat, 22 Jun 2013 22:58:56 +0000

Peggy C has posted:

.. female soon to leave this nest
.. area 2 of the 5 nests observed in 2013
.. the male has been gone a few days and no sign of either parent
.. such amazing creatures to observe
( photos taken in Florida USA )

- thank you Dunrovin Ranch Birds for this on FaceBook

www.facebook.com/DunrovinBirds?fref=ts

Our 'partridge' ...

nobody@ipernity.com (Peggy C) — Wed, 25 Dec 2013 15:49:39 +0000

Peggy C has posted:

- and not a Pear tree

- but, a magnificent Bird of Prey
- hunting from our Emanon tree

- took many shots

- he never told me to 'get ready - I'm going to fly'
- so --- perhaps he shall return for breakfast
- another morning

- Hawk ....... Red Tail / thank you Pam J for the ID

[ taken through kitchen window ]

(c) 2013

Osprey ..

nobody@ipernity.com (Peggy C) — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 14:17:50 +0000

Peggy C has posted:

Soar..

nobody@ipernity.com (Peggy C) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 15:55:15 +0000

Peggy C has posted:

.. still young

nobody@ipernity.com (Peggy C) — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 23:21:24 +0000

Peggy C has posted:

.. fish ?

nobody@ipernity.com (Peggy C) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 19:21:00 +0000

Peggy C has posted: