We have some new photos from Stephen Barnard, and I’ve allowed him to slip in some pictures of his d*g—the border collie Deets—because it’s showing an atavistic behavior. But first, birds. Here’s a gorgeous American kestrel (Falco sparverius), a pocket-sized bundle of cuteness and murder. Stephen’s comment:
I’m going to have to give this guy a name.
Stephen welcomes readers to suggest nams for his resident raptor.
A red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis):
Sharp photo. They don’t usually let me get this close.
And the d*g:
I’m attaching some photos of Deets’s vole hunting technique in the snow, which is the same technique the coyotes use. No one taught him this. It must be either innate or just obvious. It’s effective, though he missed this one. The idea is to roam around, covering as much territory possible, until he hears one under the snow. Then the pounce will either kill it or set it scattering and the chase is on.
While that hunt was unsucessful, here’s one that wasn’t. Stephen’s comments from yesterday:
… we went out this afternoon. Those are vole guts in the last photo.
Just to cleanse your palate, here’s a genuinely wild felid from reader Damon Williford—a young bobcat (Lynx rufus) he snapped in Estero Llano Grande State Park in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas:
Okay, why not. It took guts to get those photos.
Quite a series – especially that last vole “shot” – I’m going to need a lot of sorbet after that one!
I think I’d name the kestrel “Kilbey,” if I were lucky enough to have a resident Kestrel.
Deet’s eyes. If that’s the last thing I saw I would know why too.
For the kestel, Orion, the mighty hunter.
Shirley Nimrod? Ed.
It’s an enigma.
I think “Glen”. Look at him, he looks like a “Glen”.
When I was a kid there was a border collie named Glen on the back pages of my comic (Dandy or Beano, can’t remember which). He would have Lassie-type adventures. Since then, Glen has always been the correct name for a border collie. I’m not so sure about it for a kestrel.
Border Collie names are traditionally one syllable with a hard consonant. “Deets” fits the formula but is otherwise an outlier. He’s named after the Danny Glover character in Lonesome Dove.
Egghead Jr. for the Kestrel name: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egghead,_Jr._%28Looney_Tunes%29
Tweets, to accompany Deets, another mighty hunter!?
Nifty shot of the red-tailed hawk. It has the look of a terrific hunting machine.
If I scroll fast, Deets can be viewed as a motion picture.
The bobcat is such a charming animal. I’d love to see more of that felid in action.
The Kestrel could be Oliver if it’s a guy, or Olive if female.
Such a great photos. I just love to see Deets in action. Especially his eyes-
What a gorgeous dog….and a great series of the capture-
The young bobcat is simply adorable.
The kestrel name—perhaps “Hawkeye”
I think the kestrel’s name is “Roofus”.
Bobcats in NH have recently recovered population somewhat. So the NH F&G wants to open a trapping & hunting season on them. Many of us are outraged and disgusted. If any of you want to write that agency, that appears to be dominated by biophobes, to object (including any scientific information – F&G are oblivious of possible and not understood enviro changes coming due to global warming that may severely affect populations) – please help us protest. Thnak you
Have you been looking at kittenhood photos of Hili again?
What a great and different perspective on that kestrel! I think he looks like a Sopwith. (Or maybe a Fury, Havoc, or Spitfire.)
Super-sharp redtail–I particularly like those needle-sharp talons!
Love the Deets shots! Both the flipbook first five and the dread-vole victory!
Sweet Bobcat, Damon! That LRGV is such a fantastic place for wildlife!
With some help from the internet:
Stephen Hawking
Tony Hawk
Edie Falcon
America’s Got Talons
Or Falco. I have Vienna Calling in my head right now.
The baby bobcat is gorgeous. I’d want to kiss it – shame it would mean getting killed.
My dog does that same thing coyotes do too. I’ve watched the coyotes doing that in the cow field next door too.
Yuck – snow already! None here yet!
Great shots all but esp like the Deets series.
I would name the kestrel KiliKili– after the call
Fantastic photos today (aren’t they always though?).
I love it when we get pictures of Deets, and these series are a special treat.
These are wonderful. I love that locked-in death stare of Deets in the second-to-last shot.
That’s a very cute kestrel indeed. How about Fargo? Or Jor-El?
Deets is also a bundle of cuteness and murder.
Kestrel name: Bocam (acronym for bundle of cuteness and murder). Don’t know how to pronounce…perhaps ‘bokum’.
I’ve seen bobcats in the wild, but never a kitten. What a sight!
Some call him
Tim
The pouncing behavior reminds me a lot of how red foxes hunt. Their low bone mass and large tail (enabling precise control of orientation during the jump) seem to be adapted for this.
Rapolo the Kestrel is a name for that fellow..
Deets is a clever dog, he would never go hungry, but would he share?
I’ve heard of dogs that love hunting moles; problem is, they dig huge holes all over your yard in doing so…..
Deets has done some digging. I told him I didn’t like it and he understands and doesn’t do it any more. That’s the difference between dogs and cats.
Yeah, cats don’t dig holes all over your yard.
Well, they sometimes do, but they carefully fill them in again.
Whilst fertilizing your flower beds for no extra charge!