female Kingfisher and Canada Geese
I went out for a couple of hours here in Stoney Creek on Monday and Tuesday mornings to see if there were any migrating waterfowl on Lake Monocan and some of the ponds. Saw lots of Eastern Bluebirds, Dark-eyed Juncos, American Crows, and Canada Geese; a good number of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Northern Cardinals, Song and White-throated Sparrows, Tufted Titmice, Turkey Vultures, and American Goldfinches; and occasional Cedar Waxwings, Pileated and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Flickers, and American Robins; and a small number of Wood Ducks and Mallards. But it was the Kingfishers and hawks that stole the show.
On Monday morning I saw a female Kingfisher hanging over the dock looking for fish in Lake Monocan. I often see Kingfishers in the trees around the lake, or sometimes on the roof of the rental building, but never so low to the water. After a few minutes she flew up on one of the dock posts.
female Kingfisher and Canada Geese
female Kingfisher
I then went over to the pond at Rodes Farm, and was greeted by a Red-tailed Hawk that was soaring with a couple of Turkey Vultures.
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Similar hiking route on Tuesday morning, but as I walked down from Lake Monocan toward the Allen Creek Nature Preserve, a fast-flying hawk went by. In the field I thought it was a small Cooper's Hawk, but after processing the photos on my computer, I am fairly confident that it was a large, juvenile, female Sharp-shinned Hawk. Notice the lightly-colored head with a white superciliary line, yellow eyes, rufous streaking on the belly, and a soft black edge to the underwings.
juvenile, female Sharp-shinned Hawk
juvenile, female Sharp-shinned Hawk
juvenile, female Sharp-shinned Hawk
juvenile, female Sharp-shinned Hawk
A couple of minutes later, a male Kingfisher came flying over the field where I was walking, and then a Red-tailed Hawk joined two Turkey Vultures above me. Note the reddish shoulders and gray upper wings on this hawk - must be an illumination effect.
male Kingfisher
male Kingfisher
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk and Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk