The Observation Deck

This morning there were no birds in the front yard or at the bird feeder which usually means just one thing.

Coopers Hawk!


Sure enough, way up in an oak tree sat a young male Coopers Hawk, just waiting.


Also known as "killer of the skies" a Coopers Hawk will chase birds, squirrels, chipmunks. etc through bushes and branches to get to them.





Then off he went.

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My chickens are currently hiding in a chicken tractor and watching the Cooper Hawk in the tree. They are wise birds.

Much like robins, cardinals spend most of the winter in the area they live in.





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Barred Owl quietly sitting above a path.


Red-Headed Woodpecker




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Last night around midnight I was turning west onto Detroit Ave Bridge heading into Lakewood off of Lake Road. I saw this buck finish walking across the Detroit Bridge turning North, and heading into the parking lot of the big pink apartment. I grabbed my camera and followed.



Even using my flash, he never slowed down coming down the bank.



Walked right down the hill, walked right up to the car.



Then headed down the driveway towards 11 River and the boat docks in Rocky River.



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Brian Foox took some photos of the new Turkey Gang working Lakewood today.



I suppose it should be noted, Turkeys can be aggressive and are strong with spurs.

A couple years ago in Rocky River there was a gang working over by Wooster Road, eventually Animal Control came in and fixed the problem.

Rocky River turkey gang, working Emerald Canyon in the Metro Parks.



Lasy known video of the turkeys before being killed on a resident's porch.



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I saw them gangsters on my street earlier today

The Emerald Canyon's bald eagle nest showing two eaglets this year! Taken Easter 2019.



Dad flies by...



Hard to believe by the 4th of July the eaglets will be fully grown with a 7' wing span and on their own.

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Another walk into the Emerald Canyon on 4.28.2019 yielded lots of great animals.


Red Wing Blackbird fighting with itself.


Mother Goose sitting on her nest.




Muskrat eating plant roots.


Great Blue Heron fishing for lunch.


Yummy catfish dinner.

http://media.lakewoodobserver.com/images_full_res/1f7973edca8a22ab9f6905e738db31cc.jpg
Well the problem is catfish have barbs, and as protection they stick them out making them hard to swallow.


15 minutes later he is still trying to get it down.


Almost, but no.


This time he got it down.


Flew off


Back to its nest.

We also walked until we say the Bald Eagle and two eaglets.

Check out the Emerald Canyon today.

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Yesterday I had a break from the events of the past week, and took a drive past the Emerald Canyon Eagles.


Looking good, and keeping track of the nearly full size young one.




Then when I got home, I noticed buzzards in the sky. Deb counted 27 of them, all going down into the Emerald Canyon. Finally I wandered over to see what was going on.


They were playing in the water and resting. I have never seen them act like this.






A 6' wingspan allow them to glide forever. Watched one for 15 minutes, never saw it flap it wings while soaring along the cliffs.





Lakewood's amazing wildlife!

Cardinal on a wire.

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I cannot believe I never noticed this before. Hundreds of swifts flying around by the 2nd Ford down in the canyon.

Then I noticed...


Nearly 100 nests locate under the bridge!




Now that is different.

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Sea errrrrr Land Gull in natural surroundings.


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Spider Time!


Ohio Wolf Spider




This one was about the size of a quarter.


And was about face high as I walked out the back door.


But knowing it is spider time, and the good work they do eating other insects, time to move on.


The spider that is not me!



See over 250 photos of fauna in and around Lakewood at:
http://lakewoodobserver.com/photoblogs/jim-obryan/fauna

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This morning while making coffee I looked out the window and saw this guy hanging around.

Cooper's Hawks love birds and small rodent. The fence he is sitting on it next to two rows of bushes that are usually filed with sparrows. So I go out front to check it out.


When I get out front, I can see the hawk is watching the bushes while another meal comes walking up behind him. Right now he is blocked by the tree.


The hawk turns his head as the squirrel walks to the end of the fence closer to the hawk.


Then that magic moment happens, seconds later all hell broke loose.

Real life struggles on the streets of Lakewood.

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