Saturday was the slow day at the hawk watch for bald eagles with only 2 birds including this youngster http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076275 The eagle was scoping things out as it went west http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076273 Saturday was the first day of the season with good numbers of red-tailed hawks which came in various colors. This bird was clearly of the cajun subspecies http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076271 When I first downloaded pictures for the day, I thought that I saw a small mouse being carried in the red-tails talons http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076259 On closer checking, it turned out the hawk was taking live crawfish to a crawfish boil. At least the crawfish in the right talon was still threatening the world but the right talon mudbug was more subdued http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076272 Many other red-tails included http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076268 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076264 Most birds of the day were youngsters without lots of red in the tail but some lived up to their name http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076270 Based on history, the weekend was probably the last for large number of broad-winged hawks including this adult bird http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076254 Most were immatures http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076244 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076239 And another bird with a nice round hole in the wing feathers http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076238 The floppy winged bird has been around for some time. It gets up with the other hawks but does not leave with them. The end of the wing at the missing feathers is actually damaged and is not controlled properly http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076240 The turkey vultures either mill in kettles etc or fly in formation. I saw two birds collide on Saturday when 2 kettles merged but they do fly close together http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076186 A young white-tailed hawk crossed the bay from the south and headed to the marsh fires further east on the peninsula http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076189 One of the swainson's hawks had an odd plumage http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076183 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076181 And cooper's hawks can also have bad feathers http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076177 Lots of goose flocks going either direction and with both white and dark birds mixing. Here a single snow goose is with some white-fronts http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076174 And sandhill cranes were going in both directions too http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076163 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/147076164 Lots more of the hawks etc can be browsed at http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/2012_hawk_watch_part_2 -- Joseph C. Kennedy on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at //www.freelists.org/list/texbirds Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission from the List Owner
