Pure luck had me at the back door the other day as this beauty flew to a nearby tree. I managed to get inside and grab my camera and get off 2 quick shots before he flew away, after apparently deciding I was not suitable prey. Phew! With the help of a friend I can tell you this is a Pacific Baza or crested hawk. I was happy to get a decent snap of him and am only sorry I didn't see the front as they look quite different with barred chest feathers. At first glance, before he turned his head to give me the death stare, I thought it was a very large pigeon. But no, a very regal chap indeed.
The next day I stalked my own prey. I have posted about these osprey previously here; they have a nest in a telephone tower near where I work. After I finished my shift the other morning, I parked near the tower and watched this fellow preen himself in the morning sun for quite a while before I got bored (and sleepy) and drove home. They are quite magnificent.
Today, I heard a bit of squawking and carrying on in the wild tobacco plant in the back neighbour's yard and was interested to watch this quite small female figbird gulp down a couple of huge fruits from the plant. Here she's working out how to get the first one down....
... and here she is having succeeded. I almost heard her gulp!
This is the male of the species which has, as you can see, quite different colouring, both around the eyes and the feathers.
