Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Raptors at the Beach, 8/18/15

Today it was mostly overcast, warm, around 80 F at the beach, humid, and with a stiff 15 mph south wind, when, after lunch, we decided to take a walk on the beach. As I post this, it's rumbling outside from thunderstorms north and south of us.
The story of the day was birds. As soon as we arrived by the water, an Osprey dove, and grabbed a fish.
It was followed by this juvenile Bald Eagle who swooped and grabbed one in his talons. He might be too young to be able to intimidate the Ospreys into dropping theirs.
I did catch this Variegated Fritillary sunning in the now dry upper tide line. It wasn't wet, so it couldn't have been puddling.
More wildlife sunning on the beach.
We saw this hawk fly into, and land in tree just into to dune lines. I have sent a copy for identification, but tentatively I'm going to call it a young Cooper's Hawk.

UPDATE: The expert calls it a Red Shouldered Hawk.
The Ospreys were doing a landslide business. Only a few weeks left before they need to leave, and they have growing young-in's  to feed.
And approximately 4140 miles SW of Dutch Harbor, the Britanny Lynn decides to stack it's pots and head for home.

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