Herons on tree-top & Sharp-shinned Hawk

The cherry plum trees are in full blossom in our neighborhood, so this morning, my mother and I walked around and I took the photographs.

I softened the images and increased the hues. Gave the photos a more interesting feel to it. I like it.

In the afternoon, I biked to the dyke.

Cloudy but dry day.

80% of Great Blue Herons that I saw standing on treetop today (n = 5). Very strange.

Heron #1.

While I was biking, a small bird flew over me and landed on a fallen log. I immediately recognized it as an accipiter - either a Cooper's Hawk or a Sharp-shinned Hawk. I think it may be a Sharpie, but I had asked for help here just to make sure.

Sharpie or Cooper's??


Heron #2.


Heron #3.


Heron #4.


While taking pictures of Heron #4, the previous accipiter appeared again and swooped over me and landed on a tree nearby. So I abandoned the heron and slowly walked towards the hawk, and got this photo.

On the way back, this Bald Eagle was scratching and preening itself, and sometimes calling out to its mate or someone.

Nothing unusual for this bird to be on a tree.

365 days ago (2009-03-01) ...comic
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