[Weevil]

With the brick-red barring on the breast and belly, the grey back, fluffy white undertail coverts, short wings, and long tail, it can't be anything but one of the two North American Accipiter species that have brick-red undersides, i.e., Sharp-shinned or Cooper's Hawk (adult). These two species are notoriously difficult to tell apart because a large female Sharpie's size approaches that of a small male Cooper's (females are larger in most raptors) and size is very hard to judge without an object of known size next to the bird. Because the crown feathers are messed up (obscuring the crown colour and shape) and we can't see the terminal band on the tail, it's hard to tell which of the two it is. Both species are present year-round in western Montana. I lean toward calling it a Sharpie because it doesn't appear to have a pale nape or to have a crown that is darker-coloured than the back.

+1
A Beginner?s Guide to IDing Cooper?s and Sharp-Shinned Hawks | Audubon

I have asked the gurus in our Birding Club.. we'll see!

[rod_grant]

Gary, Fabulous!

[csa]

That would be my guess from the look but they're not particularly large birds.

This was a large bird! I couldn't believe it was balancing on that narrow snag!

[csa]

+1
A Beginner?s Guide to IDing Cooper?s and Sharp-Shinned Hawks | Audubon

I have asked the gurus in our Birding Club.. we'll see!

Thanks so much, will be interesting in what they say!

[Sterby]

Backlog from the summer, a pair of black storks circling to gain height to begin their migration at the end of August, strong backlight.
Gear used: Tamron 70-200/2.8 and HD DA 1.4xTC on the Pentax K-3. Cropped in so I guess pseudo 300mm?

Black storks farewell flight

[pete-tarmigan]

Backlog from the summer, a pair of black storks circling to gain height to begin their migration at the end of August, strong backlight.
Gear used: Tamron 70-200/2.8 and HD DA 1.4xTC on the Pentax K-3. Cropped in so I guess pseudo 300mm?

Cool!

[csa]

Sleepwalking?

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

File Date

 

[zzeitg]

DA560








DA*300 @ 420mm

[pearsaab]

It's been a while since I've share an image...

Here's one from this winter - my first ever encounter with a snowy owl!
I've lived here for 12 years and have yet to get a decent image of one. It took 6 miles of walking down the beach in single digit temps to find her; walking through the high tide in knee deep water making sure not to spook her off as I approached the dune.
I kept a distance and army crawled inch by inch, making sure not to disturb her.
Shot from about 75 yards away with a K-3ii + 1.4xTC + DA*300. Cropped a good bit too...

I was ecstatic on my walk back to the truck; I should have been smarter about staying dry... I definitely felt like any longer out there would have been creeping towards hypothermia.
Definitely took some time to warm back up before I could drive home.

I loved your description as well as your picture...made me smile!!!!

[boriscleto]

This weekend is the Great Backyard Bird Count . I had to go to the nature center to take some photos as I don't really have a feeder setup where I live now.









And I never had Pine Siskins in my yard...






This is apparently a 'green morph'.


































Crossposted to Yard Birds thread

[riseform]

Northern saw-whet owl
K3ii DFA 150-450 at 450mm, handheld

[jbinpg]

Bohemian Waxwings. K-3 + DA*300/4, 1/750s, ISO200, f/5.6.

[zzeitg]

DA560

[Weevil]

Thanks so much, will be interesting in what they say!

I was told by our guru it is most probably a Cooper's Hawk, because the eye is close to the beak, whereas the Sharp-shinned hawk is more in the center of the head (as in below's pic) but having the complete tail in the photo would have helped confirm the ID.
That was the 1st guess of other members too... (so do I)



Ref: Coopers Hawk vs. Sharp-Shinned Hawk Identification

[RockvilleBob]

Anhinga Trail

There was less wildlife at the Anhinga Trail during our visit there a week ago versus last year. However the Cormorants were still there in numbers. To me these birds seem fearless and bask in the sun and admiration of viewers. This is an uncropped image.