Category Archives: Raptor

Juvenile Birds, Raptor

Juvenile Black Vulture

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As we approached the turnaround on one of the dikes in the wildlife management area we were visiting a juvenile Black Vulture stood in the middle of the road. Unfortunately he showed no fear of our car or us and only hopped along a few feet.

Ted finally got out of the car to gently urge him out of the driveway and he flapped/hopped up onto the gate, allowing me to turn the car without worrying about hitting him.

Juvenile Black Vulture
Juvenile Black Vulture

His still fuzzy head and hopping rather than flying identifies him as a juvenile. We walked around the opposite end of the gate and went on our way.

Juvenile Black Vulture
Juvenile Black Vulture

When we returned twenty minutes later he had relocated to the other end of the gate.

Juvenile Black Vulture
Juvenile Black Vulture

Quite regal looking, he ignored us as we passed back by and I saw him still there in the rear-view mirror as we drove away.

Juvenile Black Vulture
Juvenile Black Vulture
Raptor

Barred Owl in Bamboo Grove

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A pair of Barred Owls frequents the pond near this stand of bamboo looking for food. This owl had just had an unsuccessful attempt to catch a noisy bullfrog.

Barred Owl on Bamboo
Barred Owl on Bamboo

The bullfrog stopped his song but the owl flew away with nothing in his talons. The owl chose a spot with a good view of the pond to watch and listen for his next opportunity.

Barred Owl on Bamboo
Barred Owl on Bamboo

Native bamboo was grown on the plantations in South Carolina to create natural barriers to help keep livestock in and keep predators out. Today it makes a beautiful addition to some of the area gardens and museum properties.

Raptor

Yellow-billed Kite: On the Ground

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As part of the Yellow-billed Kite flying demonstration the handler tosses pieces of raw meat into the air to simulate a bug and the Kite catches them on the fly. I didn’t get a decent picture of that action, but in the sequence below the bird missed and immediately dropped to the ground to find the food.

Yellow-billed Kite:
Yellow-billed Kite – click image zoom in and you’ll see the meat in the bird’s mouth

The demonstration field was covered in little yellow flowers, a pretty background for this brown bird.

Yellow-billed Kite:
Yellow-billed Kite

He sauntered around a bit for taking to the sky again.

Yellow-billed Kite:
Yellow-billed Kite

Yellow-billed Kite, Milvus aegyptius

Ted, TPJ Photo, captured some nice images of the mid-air feeding  and the Kite taking food from the handler on the fly.

The Center for Birds of Prey offers photographers an opportunity to take close-up photographs of owls and other birds of prey a few times a year.

The Center for Birds of Prey, Photography Day, April 22, 2018,  Awanda, SC.

Raptor

Yellow-billed Kite: In the Air

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After his posing session at the Center for Birds of Prey Photography Day this Yellow-billed Kite had an opportunity to fly.

Yellow-billed Kite Flying
Yellow-billed Kite Flying with radio transmitter attached

Kites catch thier prey, mostly insects, by snatching from the air with their feet. This requires a lot of swooping and circling to get higher off the ground.

Yellow-billed Kite Flying
Yellow-billed Kite Flying

The Center’s birds are fed and according to the handler will not seek out food during flying demonstrations, returning to the handler for the reward of food. This particular Kite seemed to enjoy his time in the air, circling around the demonstration field over the row of photographers several times.

Yellow-billed Kite Flying
Yellow-billed Kite Flying

Yellow-billed Kite, Milvus aegyptius

The Center for Birds of Prey offers photographers an opportunity to take close-up photographs of owls and other birds of prey a few times a year.

The Center for Birds of Prey, Photography Day, April 22, 2018,  Awanda, SC.

Raptor

Yellow-billed Kite: Posing

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First, I need to give a shake.

Yellow-billed Kite
Yellow-billed Kite

Then, get my feathers settled.

Yellow-billed Kite
Yellow-billed Kite

Now I’m ready, wings stretched out, go ahead and take that photo!

Yellow-billed Kite
Yellow-billed Kite

Yellow-billed Kite, Milvus aegyptius

The Center for Birds of Prey offers photographers an opportunity to take close-up photographs of owls and other birds of prey a few times a year.

The Center for Birds of Prey, Photography Day, April 22, 2018,  Awanda, SC.

Juvenile Birds, Raptor

Barred Owl Owlet

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A Barred Owl pair with two fledged owlets has been seen regularly from the boardwalk at Beidler Forest. We spotted just this one youngster taking short flights in the limbs above us.

Barred Owl Owlet
Barred Owl Owlet

The owlet was curious about the humans passing on the boardwalk below him, not bothered by our presence. A school group of about twenty-five kids and chaperones had just passed and a few of their stragglers stopped with us to watch the chick.

Barred Owl Owlet
Barred Owl Owlet staring down
Raptor

American Kestrel

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The American Kestrel is the smallest North American falcon, and also the most colorful.

American Kestrel
American Kestrel

The pairs of black vertical slashes on the sides of their faces give them a distinctive look along with what appeared to me as “eyes in the back of their head” as he swiveled around.

American Kestrel
American Kestrel

Here he is settling himself after “rousing”, a shaking action that lifts all the feathers.

American Kestrel
American Kestrel

American Kestrel, Falco sparverius

The Center for Birds of Prey offers photographers an opportunity to take close-up photographs of owls and other birds of prey a few times a year.

The Center for Birds of Prey, Photography Day, April 22, 2018,  Awanda, SC.