Backyard Cooper's Hawk

I was walking around the backyard in the afternoon when I saw a Cooper's Hawk swoop low towards our back spruce tree. As it got closer to the ground, it smoothly transitioned to running and ran under the tree, hopping up on a low branch. I assume it was trying to approach the brush pile unseen, the home of dozens of House Sparrows, but using my wood pile as a screen. It sat there for a while, and I eventually went inside. Soon, it flew up to my bird feeder and landed on the ground. Then it walked between the house and our lilac bush and laid down. I had not seen this behavior before. It didn't seem hurt. It was gone after dinner. It was by our drier vent, but I don't believe that the drier was running. Strange. I couldn't get a picture of it laying down, but I could barely see it through the window.

Shelbyville Snowy Owl

We got word on New Year's Eve that a Snowy Owl had been found at the Shelbyville Airport. We bundled up and headed out in the morning to see if we could find it. Luckily, it was sitting conspicuously on a roof.

Soon, the rest of the paparazzi showed up. The airport manager let us walk a little closer. The windchill kept us from watching too long. It was fun to see one relatively close to home.

American Kestrel

A female American Kestrel paused for a second on the corner of a building out at Mt. Comfort Airport.

Gahanna Barred Owl

I know I just posted a Barred Owl picture, but this seems to be time for them. I have been hearing and seeing the Barred Owl in our neighborhood somewhat frequently. Today, Joy, Laney, and I went for a walk along the Big Walnut in Gahanna to enjoy the warm spell. I was watching every hollow as we walked. I spotted this Barred Owl hanging out in a big old Sycamore. I liked the snow stuck to his face in the third picture.

Coopers Hawk with a Starling

If you flip through the pictures, it is almost like a flip-book, although six minutes elapsed between the first photo in this sequence and the last. I was sitting on the sofa, which is below the window to my bird feeder. I had just re-stocked the sunflower seed, since they are really going through it in these temperatures. The sound of birds fighting interrupted our reading. We all (including Laney) jumped up to look out the window. I saw a Cooper's Hawk fall to the ground with a Starling. It looked like the Cooper took the Starling from my suet feeder. The Cooper flew off into my backyard and landed about a hundred feet away. I rushed to get my camera. The hawk sat there in the wind for a while, maybe letting the Starling finish dying. Then the feathers started flying. Fifteen minutes later, he was done. It was cool to see the difference between the immature that came a couple weeks ago. Experience must pay off. It was cool to see one of these guys utilizing my feeder. In a way, the Cooper was eating my black oil sunflower seed and suet. Don't mind losing a Starling, either.

Barred Owl

I took Laney for an evening walk around the neighborhood to enjoy the snow and the daylight. I had all ready passed by this silver maple once when I look up and noticed this Barred Owl. I kept on walking and Laney never noticed. I ran home, put Laney inside, got my camera, and hurried back. I think this is the same guy that some crows were mobbing last Sunday. There are plentiful spruce and pines in the neighborhood to serve as roosts.

Cooper's Hawk

I was sitting at the window watching the bird feeder, luckily with my camera ready. With a sudden rush, this immature Cooper landed in my crabapple tree above the feeder and all other birds made themselves scarce. The Cooper cast a fierce and intense glance around and then took off as suddenly as it had arrived.

Wrap-up of Kansas Birds

While birding the dusty backroads of Gray County, I was pleasantly surprised that there were actually birds in the open fields. One of the most common birds was the Western Meadowlark. If not the most common (probably Horned Larks), then they were the most vocal.


Vespers were up there in abundance. These 'little brown birds' are actually fairly good sized for sparrows. They would virtually disappear when they landed on the bare ground.


Trees were so scarce that there was pretty stiff competition for nest space. Here a Great Horned Owl and nestling keep a careful eye on me.


A Western Meadowlark got caught almost facing the camera. They seem to have a sixth sense about which way to face if I have a camera out.


A Vesper Sparrow sits on a barbed wire.


Wind turbines along the horizon, making use of the constant wind. A brochure I saw claimed that Dodge City is the windiest city in the United States.

Cimarron National Grasslands

A windmill on the background of the yucca and sage steppe of the Cimarron National Grasslands.


An American Kestrel perches on a yucca stalk. I made the trip to these national grasslands Tuesday afternoon. I had a couple hours to spend before sundown, which is no where near enough time to bird/explore the area in the way it deserves. CNG is in the extreme southwest corner of Kansas, abutting Colorado and Oklahoma. This area was very hard hit during the dust bowl, after which, the government started buying the devastated land and setting it aside for conservation. Now it is one area of short-grass prairie and steppe that has some natural character in the area.


A Badger looks up from his business in a wheat field. He wasn't sure what to make of me, and kept smelling the air, before waddling off and continuing his hunt.


Another windmill in the distance obscured by heat distortion. I know it is an old effect, but I love the impressionist painting look it has.


I decided that my goal at CNG was going to be the Lesser Prairie Chicken lek. I couldn't work out any way to visit the lek in the morning, so evening was going to have to do. The National Forest Service had set up a blind, and the log book had been reporting at least a couple Lesser Prairie Chicken displaying for the last couple mornings. I hiked/birded around for a couple hours before the sun got low. The birds were occasionally supposed to display on the lek in the evening, approximately one hour before sunset. Sunset happened to be about 8:20 central time. A very nice British couple and I got in the blind a little before seven o'clock. The weather was warm (mid 50's) and sunny, but the wind was brisk. I appreciated the windbreak of the blind. We kept our eyes and ears peeled, but the prairie chickens never showed. It was by far an unpleasant time, though. There was a prairie dog town with a pair of Burrowing Owls on guard. A Kestrel was hunting the steppe. Western Meadowlarks and Horned Larks (pictured above) sang to us. Jackrabbits and White-tailed Deer wandered past.


Slowly, the sun set, and I had to leave. Almost as soon as the sun dipped below the cloud layer on the horizon, a pack of coyotes just over the hill broke out into chorus of yaps and howls. It was quite a magical experience. I hope the Lesser Prairie Chickens can hold on against the coyotes and habitat destruction. If I ever get the chance again, I'll have to come back and try again, and look for the other specialties there like Scaled Quail, Mountain Plover, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Curve-billed Thrasher, Black-headed Grosbeak, Cassin's Sparrow, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow, McCown's Longspur, and Chestnut-collared Longspur.

Kansas Swainson's Hawks

Swainson's Hawk on a fencepost, Gray County, Kansas.


Swainson's Hawks were the most common Buteo I observed this past week in southwestern Kansas. I saw several Red-tailed Hawks and one Rough-legged Hawk, but the majority were Swainson's Hawks.


A Swainson's Hawk takes off from a wheat field where it had been sheltering from the constant wind.


These three shots were taken in rapid succession. I like it for it's flip-book like action. Hunting, looking over at me, and then sailing off. I just missed getting to photograph this hawk with its pair going through the courtship ritual where they grasp talons and fall together. It was fun to watch.

Great Basin Birds

Red-breasted Nuthatches were very common and friendly in the forest above 10,000 feet on Sunday morning. Several landed right next to me as they passed through the area feeding.

Yellow-headed Blackbirds got to Comins Lake just a little before I did this year. Here the sunset lights up a male near the lake.

Bushtits act like and hang out with Ruby-crowned Kinglets, combing the shrubs along Cleve Creek. It is very hard to get one to sit still for a photo.

Nestling Horned Larks beg for food out in the valley.

Again this year I spotted an Osprey in Spring Valley. Must be passing on through...

A Pied-billed Grebe patrols his part of the marsh at Comins Lake.

Marsh Wrens will sing incessantly from deep inside the bulrushes. This guy stepped out into the open for a brief second.

Western Meadowlarks didn't seem to prefer the open valley, instead they were usually on the edge of the valley where there were scattered trees.

Golden Eagle Taking Flight

I was driving back from work, when I saw a Golden Eagle sitting beside the road. I wonder if there was some roadkill, since when I stopped, there were three Golden Eagles in the general vicinity. I enjoyed how massive the talons and primaries look.

Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge

A Northern Harrier watches the sunrise from his roost in the marsh.

Greater Roadrunner on top of a bluff.

Western Kingbirds were everywhere, and fairly noisy as well. Cassin's Kingbirds show up at the refuge, so I had to keep my eye on them.

A gorgeous Bullock's Oriole shows off briefly. I could hear orioles in several different trees, but I had very little luck catching glimpses of them. Of course I was also looking for Hooded Orioles.

Rock Wren

Black Phoebe

Taking my siesta in the shade beside Upper Pahranagat Lake. The day got up into the nineties, and I had gotten on the road by three, so it was nice to relax.

Last Saturday I visited Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge near Alamo, Nevada. The refuge is located in a valley on the edge of the Great Basin and Mohave Desert. The variety of habitats, including lake and wetlands attract many birds. I struck out on several birds (Verdin, Phainopepla, several different Thrashers), so I might have to go again if I get a chance.