|
|
Post by tuchp on Mar 22, 2007 12:26:02 GMT -8
I am not too confident in my hawk identifications yet, so could someone please help with this ID? It was in my backyard in S.E. Langley about 5:30pm and was very small, seemed to be even smaller than a jay. It moved - always flying - very quickly from branch to branch of our big old pear tree and then landed close to the ground, These photo's are not too sharp as I had to act quickly and through the window. Consulting my field guides, I am pretty sure that it is a Sharp-shinned Hawk. Can anyone tell me if I am correct? Thanks for any help you can give me. Cheers, Pat   |
|
|
|
Post by Gord on Mar 22, 2007 21:31:20 GMT -8
Pat, Id say you're bang on. The large eyes, square-tipped tail, thin and long legs and breast pattern (and size as you described) all fit for a, in this case a juvenile, sharp-shinned hawk. These guys can be quite difficult to ID.
Good work in getting good pictures of him too! Speaking of him, if it was really tiny it probably was a male as they're smaller than females but that's hard to tell in the field unless they are a pair at a nest. Sounds like the little rotter was looking to flush a small bird. One of their tactics that goes a bit further that that, which Ive seen them employ, is to actually crawl into the bushpile I made for the little birds to hide in. Their goal seems to be getting the little birds to fly out into the open where they then try to get them in the air after a short pursuit between cover.
|
|
|
|
Post by deb&tony on Mar 23, 2007 8:15:51 GMT -8
Hi Pat-
Thanks for the reply re: flicker hybrid.
By the way, good photo of the hawk- I agree, it looks like a juvenile sharp-shinned hawk.
Deb
Hope, BC
|
|
