Visit to Hawk Banding Station

I spent several hours today with a friend who was banding hawks in a hawk banding station. Cold and brisk, but several hatch year birds were hungry enough, and inexperienced enough, to come in on the lure birds.

First, is a hatch year female Cooper's Hawk ...

Cooper's Hawk (hatch year) sporting its new jewlery

Cooper's Hawk released after being banded

Several Red-tailed Hawks were caught and received a free metal bracelet. Here a young "Tail" is on the lure ...

Hatch year Red-tailed Hawk

While the hawk was on the lure bird momentarily (the spring-trap net was sprung moments after the photo) the lure bird was carefully examined and found unharmed ...

Red-tailed Hawk

After being measured, weighed, and fitted with a band, the young bird is released ...

Red-tailed Hawk (hatch year) released after being banded

Flying free ...

Red-tailed Hawk

Along the coast there were sizeable flocks of shorebirds, including a few Ruddy Turnstones ...

Ruddy Turnstone

... and elsewhere, Golden-crowned Kinglets continue to provide wonderful photo ops ...

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Good Birding!!