All Comments to Xopher's files

Recent Comments

  • (Anonymously) (Private)
    12 days ago
    DSC 1986 edited-1
    Great shots, i'm an avid rock collector myself.
  • LesTension Premium user United States (Private)
    1 month ago
    DSC 1766 edited-1
    Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus), probably.  Excellent catch.  Was this under controlled conditions?  Working w/a falconer?
    • Xopher Premium user United States (Private)
      1 month ago
      All of the raptor photos in this album were taken at the seasonal Raptor Free Flight Exhibit at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. The raptors are guided from natural perch to perch by handlers over a 4-6 acre area surrounded by the museum grounds. The birds are often flown over the viewers heads and they pass quite close. Not a bad seat in the house. It's a very popular photo op. Scrum8 Has some excellent photos as well. Since a picture is worth 1,000 words, I put this little album together for you to sort of give you an idea of what's going on.http://public.fotki.com/cpeterson/free-flight-raptor-/Thank you for taking the time... ChristopherNote: Ravens appear in the exhibit to demonstrate the differences between raptors and non-raptors. They also provide some comic relief.
  • PhotobyCindy Premium user United States (Private)
    1 month ago
    DSC 1919 edited-1
    Hi Chris,
    Are these Cooper's Hawks?  Appears to be ones you found rather than Desert Museum?
    Cindy
    • Xopher Premium user United States (Private)
      1 month ago
      Yes. Cooper's Hawk. They have been nesting in the central citiy at the Botanical Gardens for several years and have been the focus of several studies on urban hawks.  I can not cite the studies however, I will be glad to track the info down if you are interested. There is a large pine and sycamore on the southwest corner of the grounds that they seem to prefer. I'm not sure if this is one of the original breeeding pair or one of the offspring. They are all banded as part of the study.
      • PhotobyCindy Premium user United States (Private)
        1 month ago
        Do you know if they usually return to the same area for nesting?  We have a large park across the street and a pair nested in a Willow last spring and successfully raised one of the two chicks.  It was extremely difficult to get photos as the willow fronds would hang down close and you then had to shoot up at an extreme angle.  I'd be thrilled if they returned this spring.
        Cindy
        • Xopher Premium user United States (Private)
          1 month ago
          My folks have a large tree in their yard that hosted a pair of ravens for a couple of years. The third year a pair of great horned owls got to the nest before the ravens and fought them off. The two following years red tailed hawks occupied the nest. I think there is a good chance that the hawks will return.
        • (Anonymously) (Private)
          1 month ago
          They will. Sometimes other interesting birds get there first.
  • Pete & Janine Premium user United Kingdom (Private)
    1 month ago
    DSC 1841 edited-1
    Nice action
    • Xopher Premium user United States (Private)
      1 month ago
      Thanks for taking the time to comment. I enjoyed a recent visit to your albums after seeing some of your Hubble photos on the site. I'm affraid I also passed your Best Wildlife Photos of 2011 album on to my father. I'm sure your little piece of Fotki will be going viral here in a few days. lol I look forward to returning soon to view more. All of the Raptor photos were taken at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Free Flight Raptor Exhibit. Here's a link to an album that explains how that works.http://public.fotki.com/cpeterson/free-flight-raptor-/ Cheers Christopher
  • LesTension Premium user United States (Private)
    1 month ago
    DSC 1531 edited-1
    Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus); male.  I've never seen one in the wild.  Beautiful critter....nice shot.
    • Xopher Premium user United States (Private)
      1 month ago
      Maybe a Pyrhuloxia Cardinal hybrid. They are both housed in the aviary at the Desert Museum and interbreed. This is a photo of a wild Pyrhuloxia
      There seem to be subtle differences in the beak shape, interior beak conture and the coloration surrounding the beak. Just a thought.
  • PhotobyCindy Premium user United States (Private)
    1 month ago
    DSC 0943 edited-1
     Great little owl!  What is this, a Boreal?  There's an owl irruption this year and a friend of mine got some wonderful Great Gray photos a few hours from here.
    Cindy
    • Xopher Premium user United States (Private)
      1 month ago
      Western Screech Owl (Megascops kennicottii). From the sound of things yesterday morning our local female Great Horned Owl found a suitor. I have not been able to catch them in the daylight though. There's a big sycamore tree outside our bedroom window. She likes to stop by from time to time and hunt the critters hanging out by the trash cans. lol  I caught a glympse of her last december in the shopping center parking lot down the road at about 4am. Good hunting. Looking forward to the photos.
Advertise on Fotki
Advertise on Fotki