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As always, on the look-out for any of the neighbor hawks of Kay and Jays.  While at Langenheim Park a couple of weeks ago, I could see one of the adults on the TNT/SpiritBank Bldg but what was going on in the creek in the park was much more interesting.  It had just rained overnight so there was some nice water flow in Joe Creek.  It seems like around this time last summer kcactionphoto also provided some photos taken at this creek of a green heron  (and a blue heron, to follow)


and some fishing....


I've gone back to look a few more times but have never spotted any more hawks or herons in the park area.

When I first walked up to the creek, a great blue heron immediately flew off.  I walked a little bit further down the creek and it flew off again so I gave up on it - did not want to cause it to fly closer to the busy streets and highway.  So I just spent the rest of my time watching the green heron.


Not sure if it is the same heron from last year - but it won't be back I guess.  Less than 48 hours later I spotted this a few blocks away further down the creek.....


After the creek leaves the park, it runs behind the TNT/SpiritBank building before going through a series of tunnels under Harvard, coming up by the service road of I-44 before going under the highway and coming up in series of pooling areas between the highway and 51st Street.  I guess it was trying to get from one pool area to another and did not make it past the merge lane......
(www.flickr.com/photos/cheryls_camera  -- not any others, just playing by flickr's rules!)

Hi all, I guess I've been AWOL for a few months now so I thought I'd post a couple pics real quick. Sorry I don't get on more often but trust me I keep an eye on the goings on here, it's heartening to see everyone posting and chatting.

I got these shots Friday, but for the record saw Kay on the tower yesterday afternoon. I spot them about once every couple of days either on the tower or in the air nearby.

Shot one shows Kay (I think) on her favorite goldenrod, just below the nest on the east side of the tower.

Shot two shows that the pigeon flock in Brookside is doing just fine, thank you... About 10 birds flew off just before I took this pic. This is the church that sits just south of the station, across from the new bagel shop.

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(8-{)
Russell Mills
Online Content Director
KJRH-TV Channel 2
PO Box 2 Tulsa, OK 74101
(918) 748-1560

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Thanks, Russell!

from Catgirl's photo of Jay, 8-31-08

Catgirl, so sad about the blue heron. The 'before' pictures were great! That is a very treacherous area for any animal to navigate. Concrete jungle.

Russell, thanks for the photos and for checking in - appreciate it! (Humm, wonder what the nest looks like?) Bagels and pigeons - I can see that working to Kay and Jay's advantage!

Bville, thanks for the laugh! Wonderful to see a plethora of pigeons, since, if I remember correctly, according to Blakeman the quantity of food going into the winter months is a major determining factor in the number of eggs and nest viability in the spring.

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live well --- laugh often --- love much

CamFan:

Catgirl, so sad about the blue heron. The 'before' pictures were great! That is a very treacherous area for any animal to navigate. Concrete jungle.

Russell, thanks for the photos and for checking in - appreciate it! (Humm, wonder what the nest looks like?) Bagels and pigeons - I can see that working to Kay and Jay's advantage!

Bville, thanks for the laugh! Wonderful to see a plethora of pigeons, since, if I remember correctly, according to Blakeman the quantity of food going into the winter months is a major determining factor in the number of eggs and nest viability in the spring.

 

Double what she said!! LOL!!!

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Yesterday is history
Tomorrow a mystery
Today is a gift

Thanks Russell for the recent photos - lol, different view of the goldenrod than I can get!!!!!  You know we always appreciate any of your photos and observations.
And I always appreciate anyone and everyones posts, comments, photos - it gets a little lonely in here sometimes!!!

Hard time of year to do much spotting - trees are at their fullest and lots of rainy, cloudy days.  So gives me a chance to get a little bit caught up on photos from this summer. 
One evening I had spotted the ranchacres juvie calling out, with a parent circling nearby and then perching.  As I was driving around, trying to find a good observation spot, I did not see all the action but finally the juvie settled on top of a utility pole while the parent was on top of a cell phone tower.  The juvie continued to call out for a few minutes, then started eating - at which point the adult flew off towards the trees of its nesting neighborhood.  Somewhere along the ways, the juvie ended up with what looked to be the rear half of a rabbit.
Mockingbirds sure are daring birds - I've seen them get within inches of my cats faces as well as ruffle the fur on their backs during a divebomb run.  I guess hawks get the same treatment!!!!


A few more of the daring mockingbird and the juvie with its rabbit meal at my flickr site - www.flickr.com/photos/cheryls_camera

Ah, the redtails of Tulsa. Still going about their business. Thanks for the excellent photo testimony, Catgirl. That's encouraging.

My one raptor tale (I should say, "tail") for this end-of-summer week is a banded one, Cooper's, to be specific. On Sunday morning, I spotted what I think was a Cooper's Hawk perched on my back fence, looking for neighborhood feather-pickings, apparently. It had the richly striped neck and chest, and I was able to see the striped tail. The bird was rather antsy, hopping about on the fence top, once flopping into a nearby mock orange bush in search of sparrows, perhaps, wings spread clumsily, only to emerge with empty talons. I don't know whether the bird was an adult or juvenile. I took a brief video of the bird, but though the quality isn't the best, you can see the banded tail very plainly. THe short video is on my Flickr site:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/27794391@N04/3916788186/
Ready,                                                  

Set,
 
Go...                                                                  

Stripes away!

Now a tail of another stripe, entirely. This summer has seen a few hummingbird wars on my porch and patio. Last week, there were three hummers vying amongst themselves for feeder rights. I couldn't catch a photo of all three together, but I did get separate shots of a male and a female. I also got a quick video of the male, with clear audio of his wings humming and of his little chirper chirping. It is on my Flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27794391@N04/3916788234/
Male rubythroated hummingbird

Female of the species

HI guys! I am enjoying the recent posts, especially Russell's of our Kay on the Golden Rod of course! Bville, I can't get the video to play. When I go to flickr it just comes up as a black box; I click on the "play" arrow below it and nothing happens.  When I clicked on the hummer picture to watch that one the same thing happened. Don't know what I'm doing wrong!

Cat, sorry about the heron. Roads are so treacherous for our birds!

Hmmm, Sallyls. Sorry, I don't know the answer to that question. But I've also put the videos on YouTube. So try these links:
Hummer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGa2f7e16R0
Hawk:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhS9aXsHjPk

Sumbdyluvsme:  OK, here's another announcement about the Eagle Watch.  It's October 3rd, (Saturday).  We are planning to meet at 9am, but don't worry if you can't be there that early. If you need directions just ask.  The more Eagle eyes the better!

Bville:

Hmmm, Sallyls. Sorry, I don't know the answer to that question. But I've also put the videos on YouTube. So try these links:
Hummer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGa2f7e16R0
Hawk:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhS9aXsHjPk

 

That worked!  Great videos...I enjoyed it!

 

Sumbdyluvsme:  Because we had so much fun the first time, an Eagle Watch is planned for Saturday, Oct. 3rd at Sooner Lake weather permitting.  We plan to meet at 9:00 am at the nest site.  Then move to the boat ramp/picnic area just east of the nest area on the north side.  From there the other two trees the eagles have been constantly spotted in can be seen as can other areas they fly or perch. It's a great area fro brunch so bring whatever you wish to eat, drink, or share.  From there, we can go wherever we think we will see eagles, hawks, ospreys or other birds.  If you can't be there at 9, don't worry, I'm sure we will be there for awhile.  Just let me, Nestfinder, or Catgirl know and we will get you a cell phone number you can use to catch up with us.  I doubt we will be too far away.  If you need directions, let us know.  So, come out and meet you r friends, see the Mertz' and get a whole different perspective on what you have been seeing on the cam.  Don't forget to bring your binoculars and a jacket!

 

Eagle Fans--Christina Murphy, of the Norfolk Botanical Gardens Eagle Forum, has just spent a wonderful weekend amongst eagles, most especially, with Buddy (the young eagle from last year's nest, who had to be removed due to avian pox, and whose permanently disfigured beak requires periodic treatment. Buddy has been declared non-releasable.)  Christina wanted to share her experience with our Forum members and asked me to post the link to her videos and commentary. Here is a portion of her note:

I have just had the most incredible weekend. The Wildlife Center of Virginia just hosted the Norfolk Eagle Support Team International (NESTI) this past weekend to show their appreciation for all the support we’ve given them. We had several presentations in the morning. Then they gave us lunch. Then, finally, we got to see Buddy (Poink/Easter), the bald eagle that was removed from the Norfolk nest in 2008. We got to see him in his pen. Then, surprise! He was due to have his beak dremmeled, and we were allowed to observe!. Then, surprise! They had an American Kestrel and a Red-tailed Hawk ready to be released and we got to see that. Then we went to “Hawk Watch” and I saw several kettles of Broad Shoulder Hawks. And, I got it all on tape!!!

Here is the link to Christina's several videos, along with her first hand observations. Do look in!

 http://www.norfolkeagles.com/viewtopic.php?f=67&t=1357

Buddy in his Pen, Sept. 19, 2009

My capture from video made by Christina Murphy