View allAll Photos Tagged a9II
The first shot of the year 2021 with full frame without cropping. It looks like White Pelican win on this shot but Cormorant did not give up the fish that he worked so hard. At the end Cormorant won and White Pelican did not get the fish.
f8.0, 1/3200s, ISO 800; Sony A9ii + 600mm f4.0GM + 2X TC = 1200mm
The Painted Redstart or Painted Whitestart or Painting Blackstart is a species of New World warbler. She/He is the most beautiful warbler. They are very rare to see them in the Bay Area. So I could not wait when I heard there are a few in the SoCal, I have to go to get it even it is 6 hrs driving one way :) Hope, you enjoy it. Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend.
I think, I am going to end of my lifer bird in California 2020 with this bird. No more chasing.
Inglewood Park Cemetery, California
This handsome Cooper’s Hawk is an occasional visitor at my birdfeeder.
_______________________
More than you ever wanted to know about Cooper’s Hawks:
The Cooper's Hawk is a sleek, medium-sized raptor found throughout much of North and Central America. Known for its agility and stealth, it's a true "bird hawk," specialized in hunting other birds, often at dizzying speeds through dense vegetation.
Appearance: Adults have a striking blue-gray back and head (often with a darker cap), rufous (rusty) barring on their white underparts, and a long, banded tail with a white tip. Juveniles are brown above and have brown streaks on their pale underparts. Their eyes, typically yellow in young birds, gradually turn orange and then a deep red as they age. Females are noticeably larger than males.
They exhibit the classic "accipiter" flight style: a few rapid, stiff wingbeats followed by a short glide. When pursuing prey, their flight becomes incredibly fast and agile, allowing them to navigate expertly through trees.
Cooper's Hawks are generally silent, but they produce a harsh, rapid "kek-kek-kek-kek" call, especially when disturbed or defending a nest.
Cooper's Hawks are adaptable and can be found in a variety of forested habitats, including deciduous, mixed, and evergreen forests.
In recent decades, they've become increasingly common in suburban and urban environments, especially where mature trees provide cover and there's an abundance of prey like pigeons and doves.
Their breeding range extends from southern Canada throughout the continental United States and into Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize.
Northern populations typically migrate south for the winter, reaching as far as Central America, while those in warmer southern states may be year-round residents.
Their diet consists primarily of small to medium-sized birds, including common backyard species like American Robins, Blue Jays, European Starlings, and Mourning Doves. They are formidable hunters, often ambushing prey from a concealed perch or pursuing them in swift, darting flights through the trees.
Their presence at bird feeders, while sometimes unsettling for homeowners, is a natural behavior as they seek out concentrated prey.
Cooper's Hawks typically build large stick nests high up in deciduous or coniferous trees, often in a crotch or on a horizontal branch.
The male usually does most of the nest building. Females lay 3 to 6 pale bluish to greenish-white eggs. The female does the majority of the incubation, with the male providing food for her. Both parents care for the young after hatching. The young fledge (leave the nest) after about 4-5 weeks but remain dependent on their parents for food for several more weeks.
(Sony a9II, 200-600/6.3, @ 600 mm, 1/1000 @ f/8.0, ISO 4000, edited to taste)
The rough-legged buzzard or rough-legged hawk is a medium-large bird of prey. It is found in Arctic and Subarctic regions of North America, Europe and Russia during the breeding season and migrates south for the winter.
It was the most difficult bird I have ever photographed in California. I heard so loud and so close but I could not find it to photography.
Small, sleek warbler; white belly contrasts with olive and green upperparts. Very difficult to separate from Eastern Bonelli’s of Eastern Europe. Best character is the call, a two-parted whistle "hu-eef." Song quite similar to Eastern Bonelli’s. Breeds in deciduous forests with oaks and beech, as well as in mixed forest with pines. eBird