Great to see the Coopers Hawk. We're just back from a holiday in Dumfries and Galloway in the south-west of Scotland where our birding highlights included Red Kites (which used to be locally extinct in Scotland but which have been reintroduced and are thriving in D&G) and a Marsh Harrier, a raptor I've only ever seen once before in my life.
Oh I do very much like Harriers - a very vulnerable species in the UK. Congratulations. When I was young the first release of captive bred Kites took place at Harewood House north of Leeds and only a short drive from my parent’s home. It’s amazing to think that whenever I visit the UK these days I am almost guaranteed to see at least one somewhere in England. They have really done well.
Wow, Richard - how lucky to have a resident Coopers Hawk posing for you. These photos are terrific. Such a beautiful bird! Today we had a "kettle" of 5 turkey vultures (sorry no photos) - not quite so handsome! However I learned a kettle is a group of turkey vultures in flight, while a "committee" is a group on the ground/in trees, and a "wake" (loved that one!) is when the group is feeding on a carcass...attending the wake of the deceased?!
Nice words - I had not learned of a 'wake' before, but it seems apposite. Kettles are formed by all sorts of travelling raptors - kettles of hawks for example.
Great to see the Coopers Hawk. We're just back from a holiday in Dumfries and Galloway in the south-west of Scotland where our birding highlights included Red Kites (which used to be locally extinct in Scotland but which have been reintroduced and are thriving in D&G) and a Marsh Harrier, a raptor I've only ever seen once before in my life.
Oh I do very much like Harriers - a very vulnerable species in the UK. Congratulations. When I was young the first release of captive bred Kites took place at Harewood House north of Leeds and only a short drive from my parent’s home. It’s amazing to think that whenever I visit the UK these days I am almost guaranteed to see at least one somewhere in England. They have really done well.
Wow, Richard - how lucky to have a resident Coopers Hawk posing for you. These photos are terrific. Such a beautiful bird! Today we had a "kettle" of 5 turkey vultures (sorry no photos) - not quite so handsome! However I learned a kettle is a group of turkey vultures in flight, while a "committee" is a group on the ground/in trees, and a "wake" (loved that one!) is when the group is feeding on a carcass...attending the wake of the deceased?!
Nice words - I had not learned of a 'wake' before, but it seems apposite. Kettles are formed by all sorts of travelling raptors - kettles of hawks for example.