3 of these like our backyard

just hoping someone can help me with this

It's an immature red tailled hawk. If you have 3 there was most likely a nest nearby

Ditto to immature Red-tailed Hawk.

Resin

heres a picture of the 3 of them. Question though when do they get the red tail

I can't believe that pic of the three Hawks! Amazing that they would come down onto a deck like that.

Wow, that is crazy! Would a rehabilitated parent raise human-comfortable children (nature vs nurture)? Do you know where the nest is? Is your yard at the edge of a wild area?

When you took the photo of the three at once, were you in your house or something, looking through the window.. Just how "friendly" are these three young ones. Have they taken any of your feeder birds?

The picture of the 3 is really cool!

Hack

What a sight! Wow, thanks for sharing these pictures. I have seen the nests in the woods with parents gaurding, but never saw a young one. They are so wary of humans and of course have eyes like a hawk and can see you coming a mile away.

They almost look like they are waiting to be fed?

I'd say setup and enjoy the photo op. One of them said forget the birds, I want a grilled hotdog or burger.

3 at one time...some have all the luck

Looks like the pic was taken from the window



This message was edited Jul 9, 2009 7:41 AM

okay the first picture was taken from the door to the deck about 20 ft away. the second picture was taken from the second story window.

cpartschick to answer your question
"They almost look like they are waiting to be fed?"

We where watching them follow a squirrel that was under the deck. I never knew they 'pack' hunted like that.

Just to give you all an idea how close they have been the picture i am posting I was standing about where the hawk is and a hawk landed on the far right post. Also keep a eye on the birch tree on the right in background

Oh also we are in the middle of the sub-division, look at our backyard that is what most of the sub-division is like. And the nest is 4 houses down from us

This message was edited Jul 9, 2009 9:53 PM

This is me standing under that birch tree

That squirrel was really in trouble.

Did they get the squirrel?

no they did not get that squirrel that day, however we have noticed our squirrel population has gone down lately

No wonder with those three around, working together.

Is it possible that these three are somehow becoming "domesticated"?

That pic of the hawk in the birch looking dead at the camera is awesome!

Hack

It's amazing how 'tame' a wild bird can seem if it's used to being around humans. I think it's AWESOME that you get the joy of having 3 beauties landing in your yard, ON your railing, etc.! I'm assuming you DON'T have a dog or cat in your yard. ;o) One of our neighbors had a Kestrel box on his house several years ago and they were in our yard constantly (feeding at our bird feeders if you know what I mean). We get many Sharpshin (or Coopers, hard to tell apart). One winter a Kestrel actually fought with a Sharpshin over a kill (the Kestrels). That little one was a warrior and actually RAN the bigger bird off. We SEE them more in the fall and during the winter (and early spring) when the trees are bare. They come for the same reason the Kestrels did and can be very successful. I even had a mature Redtail IN the birdbath in the back yard (on the ground) several years ago. It had been a scorching summer and it actually took a bath! I did take photos of it but this was before my digital and they weren't the best.

Raptors are my faves and you are VERY fortunate! We did have a pair start a nest in a huge tree in the farmer’s field waaay behind our house a couple of springs ago but a storm came through and destroyed what they’d started and they left. It was neat watching them in their mating behavior though. If you click this link you should be able to see the Sharpshin that landed on my deck last summer. I had to take it through the window so I didn't get the whole bird in either photo (almost the whole bird in the 1st photo). But they're up close. I hope the link works. http://davesgarden.com/community/blogs/t/GrammyJo/9983/

The link worked. Pretty raptor. Looks deadly.

Hack

This message was edited Jul 11, 2009 11:37 PM

'Looks deadly.'... That they are Hack! I always feel so sorry for the birds they snag but then I have to remember that they normally cull out the sick and old, those that would die of hunger, old age or disease most likely anyway. And hawks have to eat too! ;o)

I've watched many a hawk try and fail to get a meal in my back yard. The young and inexperienced can have a really hard time surviving through the winter.


This message was edited Jul 12, 2009 12:15 AM

GrammyJo,

I have only been a birder for about a month and have yet to see a hawk attempt to take one of the feeder birds - but I'm not here all the time, either.

And like you said, "Hawks have to eat too!"

To me its all part of God's plan.

Hack

What an amazing sight to see!!!

Indeed it is bltefft. Yet even though I feel sort of sorry for Starlings when they get taken it really upsets me when a song bird, such as a Cardinal gets it. Starlings they can have. Cardinals....... well THAT's another story!

I'm here most of the time and love birding. I didn't really get into it until maybe 15 or so years ago. I hate thinking of all the years we lived here and I didn't really think about the birds that much (we've lived here for about 36 yrs). You're going to find it very addictive. The more you watch the more hooked you become. So enjoy! ;o)

Great pictures! Regarding juvenile behavior - I've got a next of Cooper's Hawks next door. The parents give warning calls whenever we go anywhere near to watch them. The juveniles, however, seen to have gotten used to us and pretty much ignore us. They eat their meals with us watching, they watch the squirrels with us watching :) and they squawk for their parents and chase crows with us watching! Needless to say, it has been our entertainment for the last few weeks.

Gardenfrances......
You are SO lucky to have a NEST so near you! Post some photos if you have the time. I'd love to see them (as would others I imagine).

That would be nice. Please be sure to post them in the Bird Watching forum and put the link to them here. We would love to see them.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/birdwatching/a

that really is great

This first picture is of one of the immature Cooper's hawks just as she(he?) is catching herself from falling forward off of the wire. We laugh daily at how uncoordinated they seem at first. This pictue (taken by my neighbor - much better than mine) was shot just before she started flapping her wings to regain balance.

The next two shots are mine (not the best, but you get the idea) They show the "kids" - there are four of them. It's been amazing to watch them growing up.

Next one:
Pelletory, I'm not sure how to do the link you mentioned?

Hi Garden,

Here is the Bird Watching forum.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/birdwatching/all/

You can either add a thread of your own or post pics in the Daily Pics thread.

This message was edited Jul 31, 2009 6:49 AM

Here's another one of Terri's pics; this is how close he let her get!