Category Archives: Raptor

Turkey Vultures On The Ground

It was very windy, the kind of wind that makes your eyes water, as I walked around the recently burned rice field pond on Monday. At the first corner a number of Turkey Vultures were hunkered down.

Turkey Vultures
Turkey Vulture On Unburned Clump of Dried Cattails

At first I thought they might have found something dead to snack on, but as I got closer I could see they were resting.

Turkey Vultures
Turkey Vultures

Some of the reeds on the edge of the pond did burn, although not all the way to the ground.

Turkey Vultures
Turkey Vultures

A wider view, with the Vultures blending in to the brown vegetation. Oddly, I got no odiferous hint that there had recently been a fire here.

Turkey Vultures
Turkey Vultures

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
January 9, 2023

Red-shouldered Hawk Looking For A Meal

I noticed this well camouflaged Red-shouldered Hawk perched in a tangle of crepe myrtle branches. Then I realized it was the flitting of the Mocking Bird that had caught my eye.

Red-shouldered Hawk and Mocking Bird
Red-shouldered Hawk and Mocking Bird

The Mocking Bird passed in front of the hawk undisturbed and went on his way.

Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk

It was late afternoon and I thought maybe the hawk wasn’t in feeding mode, but then he dropped to the ground. He immediately mantled over some prey, covering it from other potential predators.

Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk

That prey either escaped or was very tiny, consumed in one bite.

Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk

The hawk flew to another crepe myrtle and continued to watch the ground.

Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
November 3, 2022

Red-shouldered Hawk ID confirmed with Merlin Bird ID app.