I had a visitor for most of yesterday. The visit began early in the morning as I was writing my morning pages. I kept seeing a huge shadow swooping past the casita window. It had to be my Harris Hawk.
He landed on the fence and kept watch.
I went for a walk and came back home to discover the hawk was no longer on the fence.
Instead he landed in a tree.
As I was writing this post, he began to call for a friend
Flying by our window a second hawk screeched with talons outstretched, wings spread wide, five feet off the ground, going in for the kill. He flew over the fence into the bushes. I missed the action.
Eventually, the second hawk settled into the tree. Behind a branch with the other hawk.
Can you spot the two hawks in the tree?
I watched in awe as a hummingbird landed on hawk number one’s head. The second hawk was attacked by smaller birds including house finches. The little birds are not fans of hawks. The quail are keeping away. They must be prime targets of the hawks.
And then there were three.
One hawk is hidden from view, preferring the other side of the tree.
I signed up for an intro to digital photography class through Maricopa Community Colleges. The class begins late January and runs through May. I hope my hawks are around to model for my class.
Here’s a LINK to the Harris Hawk’s call from Cornel l Lab All About Birds website.
What are your favorite birds to watch?
Your pics are amazing EA. Have fun in the photography class. I’m surprised that the smaller birds attacked the hawks. I would think it was the other way around. Kind of like David going up against the much bigger Goliath. Go little birds. Ha, ha.
Thanks! Yes, it is so fascinating to watch the little birds. They are quick and several of them gang up on a hawk, taking turns going in for the attack. Yes, it is like David and Goliath!
Lately I have been enjoying the blue jays. They are such a vibrant blue! Spectacular! I always enjoy the wood peckers as well… I have some hilarious ones who peck on my metal chimney and other things that aren’t conducive to pecking, but those birds sure give it a valiant effort! Haha!
I haven’t seen the blue jays, but I’ll keep my eyes out for them. Our woodpeckers attack the chimneys, too. When we’re out walking in the neighborhood it’s a common sound!
I laugh when I see robins who are forever trying to find worms, hopping around on the ground, ever hopeful. We also have blue jays around here and they are aggressive, always after some other smaller bird. Don’t especially like them but they’re pretty.
We had Robins in Washington state where I grew up. I enjoyed them so much. We don’t have them in Arizona. They were entertaining! In Palm Springs we had mockingbirds who would dive bomb our cat!
Great photos, E.A.! The birds are fascinating to watch. My favorite are the rosy faced love birds and the northern cardinal. I really enjoy the various hawks, bald eagles (have you seen any in your neighborhood?) and great horned owls, though I dislike it when they startle me with attacks on smaller critters… I never get used to the expected explosion of feathers.
I haven’t seen rosy faced love birds, but I love the northern cardinal. We haven’t seen a bald eagle but we have hawks and great horned owls. It is startling when I see an attack, like yesterday. I want to defend the smaller birds and I’ll open the door and yell at the hawk. In reality, they are doing what they are made to do.
What an amazing show they put up for you!
I was mesmerized for hours. Just as I’d get back to my writing, another hawk would fly into our yard.
Wow! Very few people would have had this opportunity while sitting in their own home
It’s exciting!
👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
You clearly have a great dinner menu for the hawks EA!
Definitely between the bunnies, quail and doves, the Hawks have a feast.
Wow…what a show. It would be hard to focus on anything else – literally! We have a couple of hawks that frequent our backyard. Their wingspans and flight are mesmerizing. 💕
Absolutely mesmerizing. I was focused on the hawks yesterday for hours. I was waiting to catch one in flight, but they are too fast for me.
Hummers are fearless. What a show the hawks put on for you! Have fun in your class.
I sat staring out the window for hours yesterday holding onto my camera. The hummers are awesome! Yes, I’m looking forward to my first photography class in 40 years. Lots to learn and remember.
I’m currently taking an online course about iPhone photo editing. I really am enjoying learning new tricks and tips.
That sounds good. I think after this class on basics of the DSL camera, I’d like to take a digital photo editing class.
Beautiful photos, Elizabeth! A hummingbird on the hawk’s head? Amazing!
Wish I could have captured that! I didn’t even try because I was in awe.
We have red tailed hawks, sharp shinned hawks and coopers hawks hunt in our backyard but no Harris. They’re all glorious creatures…
❤️
They are! We have Coopers hawks too but haven’t seen them in my back yard. There is a restaurant/wine bar called Coopers Hawk.
Hawks make me nervous because of my small dogs, but there’s no denying how beautiful they are.
My favorite birds to watch? Honestly, all of them! But I have a special love for cardinals and crows.
I love cardinals and crows too. The hawks are exciting, but little dogs are not safe to roam in a backyard in our neighborhood.
We have egrets visit us in Florida on our lawn. Love them. I also love the red cardinals that visit our bird feeder. We used to have a falcon perch on our fence.
I see egrets at the beach in Santa Barbara. So gorgeous. You’re lucky to have them on your lawn. Also, love cardinals and a falcon would be amazing.
Thanks! From time to time and season, we see egrets on the lawn. Today is a lovely 65 degrees this morning!
How nice! We’ve been in the low 40s in the morning. But today it’s 52 degrees.
Incredible hawks and photos! And you had a front row seat for nature’s free entertainment. I would’ve loved to have seen the hummingbird on the hawk’s head!
I wish I would have captured the hummingbird on the hawk’s head with my camera. But, at least I got to enjoy the moment.
Enjoyed seeing the hawks, so surprised that the little ones would attack them, how fearless!
They are so fun to watch. Even when I see them in the distance, little birds are chasing after hawks.
It’s kind of like dogs, right. The little ones have such big barks!
Yes, that’s it!