The Holler Red Tails are being besieged by the Ravens. As soon as they take flight they are surrounded by flocks of harassing ravens. (Please click photos to enlarge).
They are usually outnumbered at least twenty to one, and you can see the missing flight feathers from their aerial battles. The raven population seems bloated and out of control. I’ve seen this so many places where I travel.
They fight continuously. The hawks hold their own for the most part, despite the disparity in numbers. I wonder how they get time to hunt though, since so much of their time is spent fending off attacks from the ravens.
The ravens are relentless.
Here is an actual attack shot into the sun so it’s not a good photo, but you can see the hawk reeling from the raven’s slam and you can see the raven screaming!
The hawks strategy seems to be to fly extremely high and out-altitude the ravens. The one below is climbing. Occasionally at altitude they dive-bomb back on to an unsuspecting raven. Revenge must be sweet for the hawks.
This one is starting the descent to attack. When they actually start to dive, they tuck their wings and dive-bomb at up to 135mph! Thrilling sight!
Rarely they fly away as you see this one doing.
Often other Red Tails enter the fray to come to a beleagured hawks assistance.
Most hawks carry signs of their battles.
I am, of course, on the hawks side, since the ravens are cowardly bullies, using numbers to overwhelm and harass, but there is nothing I can do, except watch these aerial battles in total fascination.
Speaking of hawks, remember my recent post about invasive windmill farms? My husband sent me this article about the effects of massive windmill farms. Check it out and see what you think. Raptors need our protection too!
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/nov/22/wind-energy-company-pleads-guilty-eagle-deaths/
Cheers to you from out beleagured Holler Hawks!
Wonderful 🙂 pictures and you captured them with perfection, have a great evening Cindy ! ❤
you too my dear friend~
Amazing captures on the wing of those powerful birds,dear Cindy ! Perfect timing and lots of action in the blue flawless sky ! It’s really hard to get such gorgeous performances high up there!
Bravo ! Love ♥ and hugs, Doda 🙂
Thank you so much Doda. The hawks are my ultimate challenge in photography! Hugz & love back you my friend~
R. Carlos Nakai — Red Tailed Hawks
Oh, I am so grateful, you know, you sent me my totem! Remarkable and so comforting. Much love to you~
Your photos of these gorgeous bird make me think that they are posing for you, in a personal way, like models preening from pose to pose, almost dancing… making themselves available to your knowing eyes.
Wonderful to think about! I do feel a connection to the hawks. At the very least they do know me, are not afraid of me, and will fly close to see what I’m up too!
Red Tail and Raven a great metaphor, both survivors. I had to use it for my novel.
That’s awesome. My husband relates to Ravens, and I to Red Tails. They are foes, but more aerial sparring than substance to their battles. I think they spar in the air because they can~