Wow - a hawk on our trellis

03-12-2008, 08:14 AM

So of course I can't find the camera + when I do, no batteries!

He was hovering around our apt when we were working in the office. Then when I went to the kitchen there he was preening on my balcony!

He was the size of a cat. Unfortunately I didn't have my glasses on either - so the pinpointing of his species is a bit vague. He was very tan coloured on his body - from the view of him hovering - maybe he's migrating?
He looked a bit like this - [took this from a local bird forum, from a member who had one in her back yard.]

So ... guess the boys will need more supervision if they are out on the balcony this year. Not having a cat has made our balcony more interesting. The trellis just behind the cage - is where he/she was preening!

03-12-2008, 08:23 AM

That's kinda cool...but, scary.

We have red-tailed hawks in our tree all the time. Very interesting birds.

03-12-2008, 08:24 AM

Very cool but scary indeed! Good thing the boys weren't out on the balcony (if it were warmer of course). That must have been neat to see though.

03-12-2008, 10:01 AM

As dangerous as they are they are Majestic.. we have lots of those here as well as a lot of eagles this year.

03-12-2008, 11:58 AM

My husband thinks it was an Eagle - it only 'slightly' looked like the photo.

The beak was much bigger & as I said he was as big as my old cat was in sitting position. - Light brown & white feathers all over. Of course he was all puffed up while preening.

03-12-2008, 01:01 PM

You need to have your camera handy if he comes back!

03-12-2008, 01:41 PM

Could have been an immature Eagle, Jac. Trust me though, Eagles are big. The only thing I've seen that comes close to them in size would be a Red-Tailed Hawk. I wonder if it could have been a Peregrine Falcon? Not uncommon to find them in urban settings these days.

03-12-2008, 04:15 PM

You're right - it probably wasn't big enough to be an Eagle. I wish I'd had my glasses on & saw him fly away - I was still fumbling with the camera.

Darn batteries weren't any good.

It might have been an immature Red tail. I've seen them at the farm - the mature ones that is.

It was a lot bigger than a Peregrine Falcon - they do have a nest on a nearby building.