Blue Birds and Red Tails

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Marin Bluebirds and the Sutro Red-tailed Hawks in action.

Posted: December 22, 2008

Seeking out insects, a Western Blue Bird surveys the scene in the Marin Headlands.

Diving for dinner proves more productive.

Another insect in sight.

At Sutro Baths the Red-tailed Hawks were busy hunting in the steady chilled breeze sweeping off the ocean at day's end. The male caught some wonderful light as he descended toward a potential meal near the water. He is a great hunter - they both are - but he defers to her when it comes to positioning. She gets dibs on the best spots by virtue of her size.

Here she swoops under him and takes over his hunting position. He slides away carried by the ocean wind, and stills over another patch of ground that eventually winds up being more productive.

I saw the male take off from the hillside with a gopher and fly straight at me - wings outstretched, bathed in golden light, both feet firmly clasped around a gopher. He flew right past me at eye level, ten feet away, sunlight glinting in his eye, full frame in my camera - and it sadly kept seeking a focus lock and wouldn't take the picture. It is now burned into my memory. Here is a shot from 2 seconds later as the male landed with prey on the hillside about fifteen feet away.

Here he takes off with the gopher in tow, looking for a good place to dine in peace.

Floating up on the wind with dinner and a salad.

He paid me no mind and let me get to within ten feet as he ate quickly. I soon heard the classic redtail cry coming from overhead. It was the female wanting in on dinner, and she was about to invite herself. I looked up and from a few hundred feet up I saw her fold her wings and drop like a stone right toward me. For a moment I thought she might be protecting her mate, and when her legs dropped and she extended her talons, screaming all the way, I got worried and crouched down. She pulled up within 5 or 6 feet of me, wind hissing through her feathers...

... and gently but convincingly descended on the exact place the male was eating not 5 seconds before.

She glared at me then looked over the bits left behind by the male, who was now eating the rest of his meal on the wing.

She departs into the deepening evening light.

One of the closest encounters I've ever had with two beautiful adult redtails.

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External Links

Cornell Lab of Ornithology Bird Guide
John W. Wall's Flickr Page
Bill Walker's Flickr Page
Lineatus' wonderful weekly bird diary on Daily Kos