A quick play around with filters & layers to produce this art image.

Pentax K-3

Tamron SP AF 90mm

I'm used to the flapping that ducks do from time to time but this one was interesting. As this Mallard drake finished up his flapping he put his wings in this position momentarily as he moved them to close on his back. A new one on me ;)

Taken 5 June 2023 at Spenard Crossing, Anchorage, Alaska.

My Japanese kitchen knife from Aritsugu, in the Nishiki market, Kyoto. It's sharp !

Taken through window. He struck at a flock of doves at the bird feeder resulting in a mini snow storm of pin-feathers. I was looking at the doves when he struck but only saw the feathers falling and then wings. When the wings came back and flew into my tree, I got this photo through the bedroom window, Then I immediately went outside - but he was gone.

Coyote Hills Regional Park

Fremont, CA

Thanks for your visit, faves and/or comments.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

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Several of the ponds at the WTP have lowered water levels at present.

This has given the waders some rich mudflats, that would normally be covered with water, to feed over.

Backyard, Mount Pearl, NL.

The Hawk stopped by again yesterday and did this pose for me.

Cuticle Scissor 2” blade

The heron just looking sharp that no danger or menace.

I thought this was a Sharp-shinned hawk when I first saw it and it may be. What do you think? It is smaller (maybe 12 inches in length) than the adult Cooper's Hawk that I have photographed several times, and may have slightly skinnier legs.

Yesterday (Feb. 5) I saw this bird on my apricot tree out the back window. I walked out my front door and looked around the corner and didn't see it until it hopped up on another branch. I got one photo, which is the 3rd photo in this series. Then it flew towards me and landed on a fence only 20 feet from where I was standing, which is the 2nd photo. A short time latter it flew down to where I took the last picture, which is the first in this series. There was a bird, probably a junco under the propped up plywood. The little bird flew under my car with the hawk in hot pursuit. IMG_5794

Male Common Kingfisher.

Best viewed large.

I enjoyed watching and photographing this bird yesterday morning. As I have done several times with what I believe is the same bird since back in early November I walked to within 50 feet and spent about half hour near this bird. He/she even left for about 5 minutes to chase after a sparrow and returned to the same brush pile. Birds were hiding in the brush pile. For those who don't know this hawk eats other birds to survive. Even after he/she left, and while I was spending time photographing a hummingbird, juncos, goldfinches, and a woodpecker this bird reappeared at least 3 times. They move so fast this there can be hard to see so he/she may have passed by more than that. This all happened over a period of about 2 hours. After that, because I was not properly dressed for the cold weather I went indoors to thaw out. IMG_8841

I appreciate all of the views, kind comments, awards, and faves. Thank you.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

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You fly 10,000 km to argue about a spot in a spacious pond.

bonelli's eagle, Habichtsadler

Summers evening suits the cat for a quick stroll

Happy Sharp-Shinned Hawk Saturday

One of the dangers when feeding small birds from home feeders in the winter :-(

Today, he went away hungry at our house :-)

I wasn't going to upload more photos today but this hawk showed up and let me get a few photos. It moved around so I am posting 3 shots from different positions. This is in my backyard, Yakima County, Washington. This adult bird has now stopped by 3 consecutive days. IMG_6971

Three Americans (I'm behind the camera) doing aviation photography in Britain this summer.

Waubansee County, Kansas

Photographed at home, Yakima County, Washington. As always, I have difficulty distinguishing juvenile Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawk so I could be incorrect. If the same bird, this bird has been here 3 times already this morning. I photographed it twice but still haven't got a photo that doesn't have distracting branched in it.

IMG_4500

Fellows Court, Hackney

This peculiar, forty-five degree angle of a pasture corner casts a different shadow. The boulders inside the fence are evidence of hydraulic mining for gold in Tuolumne County, California.

Calidris acuminata, with Least Sandpiper in foreground.

Morro Bay salt marsh as a 6.2 ft. tide was receding,

Seen from marina boardwalk,

Morro Bay, California

The bird had been found the previous day at about high tide by Kilian Hampl and identified by Will Knowlton. This species breeds in northeast Asia and after a long migration, winters in southeast Asia and Australasia. A few birds migrate down the other side of the Pacific Ocean and it is considered a rare autumn migrant in North America.

www.texastargetbirds.com

Yesterday I had an opportunity to spend the morning out at Smith Point for the hawk watch and it ended up being a great experience with plenty of raptors seen and photographed. This young Sharp-shinned Hawk flew right over us at close range and definitely checked us out.

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Accipiter striatus

At home

Taken @ 30mm with a cheap 2x TC and the canon 1.4x to make 840mm LOL

WSOR brings a loaded grain train down the CN through Ackerville.

WAMX 3871

WAMX 3870

WAMX 4172

WAMX 4173

Have a mouth as sharp as a dagger,

but a heart as soft as tofu.

(Chinese Proverb)

Weekly Theme Challenge - Something Fluffy

Looking close... on Friday! - Combination of Soft & Sharp

(photo by Freya, edit by me)

Thanks for views, faves and comments!

A group of 6 sharp-tails showed up in the yard today and feasted on sunflower seeds under the feeder.

Shot as a JPEG, as the camera was still in factory default settings!

Hepatica acutiloba

Thank you to everyone who visits, faves, and comments.

Cooper's Hawk

Accipiter cooperii

A visitor to my back yard early this past fall. I think it sees me, I am lucky to have not spooked it.

So, Sharpie or Coop? The top blocks of the retaining wall it landed on are about three inches thick, putting the bird at roughly 12-14 inches head to tail. The tail appears to be rather squared off, plus the streaking looks more like Sharp-shinned rather than Cooper's. All things considered I'm calling it a Sharpie. What do you think?

CORRECTION: A couple sharp-eyed Flickr friends provided evidence that this hawk is a Cooper's, not a Sharp-shinned. See the comments below. I stand corrected.

View large

Grand Traverse County, Michigan