Friday, March 06, 2015

Red-tailed Hawks (Buse à queue rousse) Get Together

Waterloo County, ON
6 March 2015

      Every day, or so it seems, I see evidence of spring in the behaviour of birds.
This shot shows two Red-tailed Hawks Buteo jamaicensis perched in a tree in close proximity to each other. 



    For most of the year, these raptors are solitary creatures, and the smaller male approaches the female with trepidation. She is up to one third larger and heavier and if she is not pleased with his advances can inflict serious injury to him. It is only when their hormonal stimulation is in sync that pair bonding can be achieved.
     I believe this bird to be the female of the pair.


     Pretty soon they will be seen side by side on a branch, a prelude to mating and nest site selection.

     This male Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis was singing for all his worth when I first spotted him, but, exhausted perhaps by the effort, settled down for me to take this photograph.


     I have already seen and heard Black-capped Chickadees Poecile atricapillus 




and Mourning Doves Zenaida macroura courting.

     Soon the southern migrants will start to arrive and the air will be filled with song. I can barely wait!
David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

I'm a life long birder. My interests are birds, nature, reading, books, outdoors, travel, food and wine.

17 comments:

  1. Beatiful photos and descriptions.
    Welcome Spring!
    I already wake up with bird songs.. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful birds, especially red.
    Nice weekend, greetings Tinie

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bonsoir,

    Quel plaisir que d'admirer vos photos avec ces magnifiques emplumés !
    Je suis heureuse d'entendre les premiers chants matinaux ...
    Gros bisous ❦

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh the hawks are magnificent! The cardinals are singing here, so spring can't be that far away...can it? Great shots David!

    ReplyDelete
  5. David, glad to read you see signs of Spring at last and with such beautyful birds. That Cardinal is so amazing.
    Have a nice weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beautiful pictures David.
    My favorite is the male Northern Cardinal.
    Perfectly sharp and full of detail in the feathers.
    Have a happy weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  7. "The smaller male approaches the female with trepidation. She is up to one third larger and heavier and if she is not pleased with his advances can inflict serious injury" - tell me about it!

    That Cardinal still looks pretty puffed up against the cold Mr G. Are you sure Spring is on the way?

    If "yes" then I am somewhat disappointed that you celebrate both it and the joys of reading Another Bird Blog with just a single glass of wine. Here in the depths of a Lancashire winter we celebrate most things but always with a bottle or two of plonk. Tonight I am tasked with a trip to Knott End Chippy for a bag of Mick's finest Haddock & Chips with Mushy Peas while my good wife prepares the bottles of red for consumption and a toast to absent friends.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The cardinal really,does look puffed up. I even commented to my wife that if someone painted a picture and the bird appeared so round you would swear that the proportions were all wrong. Now, your fish, chips and mushy peas seems quite delicious. Better invite Miriam and me for dinner and we'll add another bottle.


      Delete
  8. Stunning photos! I love the thought of the poor male hawk having to creep closer and closer over several weeks onto the female's branch - she looks like a bird you wouldn't want to mess with! I appreciated your explanation of their courting behaviour, thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Unos pájaros espectaculares, las fotografías son preciosas David. Saludos cordiales desde España.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Nice photos., David. The Cardinal and the Red capped are super sharp! top!
    But my favorite is the Dove, it looks so shy.....
    Gr Jan W

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love the hakws, great sightings. The Cardinal and Chickadee are two of my favorites.. Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Spring is also really started David and you notice that indeed the birds:-) have a fantastic photos you've made and I'm in love picture 3. What is that awful nice !!!!!!!
    Greetings, Helma

    ReplyDelete
  13. Wow and wow! Excellent shots! The Cardinal is remarkable...
    All the best!

    ReplyDelete
  14. That good photos. I love the one of the cardinalis

    ReplyDelete
  15. I hope you will be able to observe the pair mating, a rare sight I have not seen yet with the Buteo buteo around my place!
    The Cardinal shot is well worth seeing enlarged, what a magnificent picture!

    ReplyDelete

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that the land on which we are situated are the lands traditionally used by the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and Neutral People. We also acknowledge the enduring presence and deep traditional knowledge, laws, and philosophies of the Indigenous Peoples with whom we share this land today. We are all treaty people with a responsibility to honour all our relations.

Followers