A couple of images from the afternoon of December 8th, including a little story on the Sharp-shinned Hawk...
The roadrunner is becoming more and more habitualized as it is becoming more comfortable with my presence, since I offer him the occasional handout. He comes to expect it now! He allowed me some up-close portrait photography and many times would come inside the minimum focus distance of my 600mm lens! I will have to start shooting him now with the 70-200mm lens!
I finally had my first Sharp-shinned Hawk show up! A juvenile, he was patiently waiting right next to the trap. I went out there to get one of the two remaining trapped male HOSPs, and the sharpie had his eyes set on me, from a perch about 25 yards away, and what I was doing. I clipped the HOSP's wings and approached the sharpie, who was now perched atop one of the neighbor's pines about 70 yards away. I released the HOSP, but I apparently clipped so much of its primaries that it could not get off the ground. It quickly found a clump of tall grass for cover, so I went over there to find him. In the meantime, Sharpie moved perches and I didn't know it. I assumed he was in the same place, so I re-released the HOSP toward the tree where I thought he was. I was like "oh crap, where did Sharpie go?" So I went after the HOSP again (poor thing was making distress calls), to capture it and put it back in the holding area of the trap. Well, seconds later I hear this "WHOOSH!" and sure as shit, it was Sharpie. It flew past me on my left like maybe 7 or 8 feet away and snatched the HOSP. It didn't even know it was coming, and neither did I! Amazing. Anyway, I didn't feel so bad for the HOSP, because it didn't suffer long, I'm sure, and I fed a hungry juvenile accipiter. I'm hoping the Sharpie hangs around now, although I'm not sure how the roadrunner would feel about that. So much drama in the back yard now!
Earlier this morning, I saw the Greater Roadrunner again as I was checking out the back on my House Sparrow trap. Much to my surprise and excitement, I saw the roadrunner again at my brush pile, only this time with a meal in its beak! It had picked off a female House Sparrow in the brush pile!! I couldnt believe it. So in addition to the sparrow trap, I have nature also helping me reduce the HOSP population. I quickly scrambled to get my camera and big lens and rushed out to the back yard. The roadrunner was running away from me, (to no surprise), but it finally found a place to enjoy its meal in my neighbors back yard. I fired off quite a few frames at a distance of about 25 or 30 yards as it was plucking the feathers of its victim. So I can now confirm that the neighborhood roadrunner is indeed eating well, and this cold weather isnt phasing it one bit it would appear.
The Greater Roadrunner (GRRO) which has been around my neighborhood for the past couple of months paid another visit to my backyard this afternoon. I first spotted him when I was looking out my bedroom window at the brush pile where my bird feeding station is. I believe the GRRO may be attracted to the brush pile since this is where all the feeder birds (comprised mostly of House Sparrows for now) like to hang out. GRRO does, at times, prey on songbirds when it cant find any other small rodents, snakes, lizards, etc. Anyway, I quickly grabbed my D7000 + 600mm and went outside way to the back part of my backyard so I could get the sun at my back. Fortunately, the GRRO was still there on the brush pile when I got into position, and I started shooting away (see image #1). He then proceeded to walk out of the brush pile and across my lawn, which began a nearly 30 minute shoot as he wandered slowly and methodically without much angst to get anywhere in any hurry. This was a very tame bird. I was shooting sitting up, resting the 600mm on my knees, so staying low helped not to spook the GRRO. I was able to approach within 15 or so yards with relative ease. In fact, there were a few moments when he would actually approach me to around 8 to 10 yards, without a care in the world that I was even there taking pictures! What a real treat. I never get this lucky photographing birds without a hide or in a ghillie suit. The images below are my best ones from the shoot of around 550 frames over the span of 30 minutes.
I was checking the bird feeders frequently this afternoon to gauge the activity of nuisance House Sparrows and Starlings (I just set the feeders back up on Monday before arctic airmass hit). Lo and behold, I check out the window and see a freaking Roadrunner just across my property. The Roadrunner was walking toward my backyard, as if wanting to check out the activity at my bird feeder. I quickly grabbed the camera with 600mm and snuck outside. By the time I got outside, it was still roaming around the perimeter of my garden near my young Arborvitae and pine trees. This bird has been hanging around the neighborhood all fall, but it is the first time it has actually set foot in my yard (that I can confirm, at least). Awesome!!
