fishnhunt Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Over the last 2 weeks there has been some serious poaching of the Doves which visit the feeder in my front yard (at least 4 based on the piles of feathers I've found)...Well..yesterday I caught the culprit on camera about 10ft.away from the front window...seems like he was trying a new tactic and was just going to sit it out and ambush them as they approached the dinner table..Pretty sure he got skunked yesterday..but I'm sure he'll be back.. I guess there's an open season on Doves for these guys..lol..(haven't confirmed the ID of this bird...definitely not a Cooper's Hawk) ..but leaning towards a Northern Harrier.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigugli Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Get an idea of his wingspan? A harrier will have a wingspan tween 5-6ft. They are a majestic bird. Watched one several years back swoop down into the yard and take down a groundhog. Mom went to shoo it away and it flew off with the groundhog in tow. Big, huge, slow motion sweeps of his wings to lift him off the ground with his meal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnhunt Posted February 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 I hear ya about the wingspan..got an avian expert that works with me..and she was wondering the same thing..some of the accipetors and harrier can have similar markings..especially through the juvenile to adult morph stage...but like I said..she's also leaning towards Harrier based on "Owl" like appearance.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Nice shots fishhunt ! Let us know what this bird is . Cooper hawks are taking a few sparrows in my yard . I have a bird feeder and the squirrels ,rabbits and other birds are all getting at the overspill on the ground . The doves are really slow to sense danger and I'm sure a hawk will dine on one soon . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry b Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Great pics!keep us posted ,that's awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunner-2 Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Definitely a harrier hawk great pic we have one here doing the same thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surf and Turf Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Beautiful bird. Hopefully the doves will oblige to keep him around for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnhunt Posted February 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Yupp..definitely a (juvenile or female) Harrier..it was here again today!..(3 days in a row)..perched on top of feeder today..didn't have camera handy and by the time I got it..took off as I approached..Not typical habitat (sub-division..(Secord Woods).. in St.Kitt's) for a Harrier..but I guess when the gettin's good..you stick around.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigugli Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Not really out of habitat. You are not that far from the ridge. There are also some nice woods the other side of the canal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave524 Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 For years the Northern Harrier was know as the Marsh Hawk, a hawk of marshes and open fields, it actually nests on the ground. Guess the same geniuses that changed Oldsquaw to Long Tailed Duck and Baltimore Oriole to Northern Oriole and a long time ago Yellow Pickerel to Walleye were at work again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 We just saw a hawk grab a bird under our feeder . I tried to get a shot while the hawk was eating it in the back yard , but it heard me coming from the snow crunching under my boots & flew a couple yards away . ....looked like it may be a starling this time . haha ....by "yards" I mean back yards lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnhunt Posted February 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 Shot from yesterday..5th day in a row it's been here..landed on feeder on at least 4-5 occasions yesterday (every 1/2 hr-45min) checking out the menu I guess?..I think he may have got lucky today..see a few fresh downy feathers around..one stuck on front window.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 Nice shot fishnhunt . It would be interesting to put a dove decoy on the ground ........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnhunt Posted February 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 Nice shot fishnhunt . It would be interesting to put a dove decoy on the ground ........ Or just trying to "live capture" the rat that has been visiting the feeder and tying it up to a stick?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwhunter99 Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 Looking for ID guys. He was hanging around my farm for a week then gone. I was thinking golden eagle due to the wing span. Close to 6ft. But I'm sure Some one here will have a better idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnhunt Posted February 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 Looking for ID guys. He was hanging around my farm for a week then gone. I was thinking golden eagle due to the wing span. Close to 6ft. But I'm sure Some one here will have a better idea Nice!..Based on the provided photos.. and estimated wing span..I'm thinking "Golden Eagle" or even a "young" 1st year Bald Eagle..(heads don't start turning white.. till around 2nd year).. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnhunt Posted February 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 Based on the amount of snow cover though.. and green grass in this picture..i'm assuming it is not recent?..Could have been simply migrating and not a resident...depending on when and where this picture was from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwhunter99 Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 Ya sorry late November. Pelham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunner-2 Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 It's hard to tell with the pic being blurry but it's not a hawk you can tell it's a big bird.I wouldn't be afraid to say it very well could be an Eagle .I have a client that is a falconer i mount his birds of pray that pass on he has one that he got from a guy he knows i didn't mount it but i seen it and it looks just like it rare thing to see we have bald eagles around here but i don't think to many people see a golden your lucky to get a pic of him good job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnhunt Posted March 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Waiting for breakfast yesterday.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnhunt Posted March 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Successful Day... Female Northern Harrier that's been visiting the feeder for the last month or so..successful "hunt" today! (Not sure if it was a Sparrow or Finch that paid the price?)...It was gone within minutes though.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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