Fox Caught on Game Camera
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Here is the same doe, an hour earlier, foraging in a high meadow. As she was leaving the field, she fanned out her tail to attract a buck.
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A red squirrel runs up a tree to get a better look at the intruder in the treestander. He squawked a bit and then ran back down.
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This type of hawk is unusual in our area; we usually see red-tailed hawks. Anyone know what type it is?
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Another twilight shot. It was completely dark out but I took a snapshot anyway since I heard a noise. When I got home, I looked at what I had taken and found, to the far left, a deer just looking at me.
Photo 19
Deer often take cover in these bushes and are completely hidden unless you look closely.
About the Author: Christopher Kimball
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broad-winged_Hawk, perhaps?
Had a house in Vermont. Sold it. Glad I did. Brrr.
Photo no. 12 takes my breath away. Thanks so much for your descriptions of the country life and the changing seasons. They are a joy to read.
looks like an immature broad wing
So wish I could live back east again. Please keep sharing your seasonal photos. We make your seasonal food! But it sure would be awesome to make it in a woodsy home on the East Coast. What were my parents thinking when they moved us to the west! Boy were they ever WRONG! Making that move…
Looks like a young Cooper’s Hawk to me.
I think the hawk is a colour variation of the red-tail. See link below http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-tailed_Hawk/id
This is from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. It has a picture of a Light Morph Adult which looks much like your picture. Shirley
I would say that is a light color phase red-tailed hawk; all other hawks in the northeast have barred tails, or a dark bar on the end of a light colored tail. The speckled “belt: around the “waist” of this hawk is also diagnostic for red-tails.
Could it be a Coopers Hawk? http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Coopers_Hawk/id
There was one stuck in the Cuppola of the University of Windsor thi past week. They love pigeons.
Christopher — Excellent pictures. I am avid deer hunter myself and also enjoy your letters. I live in VA and have had a pretty good season thus far — three deer taken by bow, one a nice 8 pointer. Keep your letters coming – they are very enjoyable. Good luck hunting this year.
Chris, the smaller woodpecker is a Downy, the larger one that looks nearly identical is the Hairy woodpecker, a little bigger than a robin, versus a little bigger than a chickadee. I also agree on the young red-tail. We had them always on the hill side across the river. I was kneeling in my garden when I heard one call its mate off the nest. As she rose over the tree tops he passed what he had in his talons a distance about 20 feet down to her. She put her tail down and reared back catching it in full flight and returned to the nest. Another one of those incredible things that happen all around us, if we are watching and a little lucky.
The large woodpecker you’re talking about is a pileated woodpecker. I watched one work on a log for over an hour last weekend, which was the opening of gun deer season in Wisconsin. They are fun to watch! I also had seven tom turkeys parade past my stand single file, that was really neat!
Could that hawk possibly be a Ferruginous Hawk? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferruginous_Hawk
I asked my husband the birder and he agrees the hawk is a red-tailed based on size and the chest band. Red-tailed hawks are very variable in color (Think of the Pale-Male in New York) or yours may be Leucistic. Genetically “washed out”, not to be confused with albinism.
The International Falconers (and Hawk) Convention was just in our town, Kearney, Nebraska. Met folks from all over the country. We befriended several and they came to our property and hunted with their birds (very cool). Our new friend, Bob, had a younger Red-Tailed Hawk. Until they molt in their first year, the tail and other coloring is gray/tan. I’m betting that is what you saw. Can you tell I learned a LOT from these folks.
Christopher, BTW, love the way you write. Very entertaining.
I was looking forward to seeing the Fox that you mention in your cover letter, but I don’t see it in any of these pics. Where is it?
Caroline, I feel so bad you saw deer when you didn’t have your gun. If it doesn’t have a sling you should put one one so it can be on your back whenever you take walks during hunting season. Let me know if you don’t get anything and I’ll send you some elk steaks.
Throughly enjoyed your fall pics! Reminded of the area around Auburn & Syracuse NY where I grew up! Have been in the south for 40 years and now retired, the fall colors are not nearly as spectacular as your photos. thanks for the memories!
Lee
Thank you Chris for your programs and nostalgic letters! In your writing you capture a part of my childhood growing up on a farm in Western MA that I didn’t appreciate nearly enough at the time. Keep them coming!
You wrote, “A medical study just reported that fat makes you smarter! ” Please give details about the source of this study. I’d like to read more about it. We’re usually told that fat is terrible in our diets. It would be nice to read a legitimate and credible study that came to some different conclusions. Thanks.
Chris:
You should come to CO–just got back from a brisk (27 this AM) neighborhood walk–had to detour well across the street because a 10 pt buck and nine of his harem were blocking my way.
As to your photo of the hawk: (Double checked my Peterson’s guide)
It appears to be an immature Red-tailed hawk. The field marks show the prominent white chest patch, the black markings below and it says that the immature birds have dark gray tails that may or may not show the typical banding of the adults.
Love your photos of your home-lands!
chris, thank you so much for sharing these beautiful pics,it certainley is beautiful in vermont.watch your show,love it,keep shareing reciepes and beautiful pics. carolee
The hawk is quite definitely a mature (pale phase) red tailed hawk.
Immature red tails have a banded tail; the definitive plumage is not produced in the first year.
So, 50 years ago, 1962, you lived with no indoor plumbing, but people had freezers for all that meat? Were they home freezers, meaning you had electricity, or at a meat locker in town?
I grew up on a farm in southeastern Wisconsin. They had electricity, and got indoor plumbing 2 months before I was born in the 30s. They rented a freezer locker at a place in the nearby village. Afte WW II they built a new house, where there was room for their own freezer.
It is likely your hawk is an immature Redtail, but you could forward the photo to the Vermont Raptor Center and ask them. There are two or three other similar hawks in the eastern U.S., including the Broadwing, but none exactly matches your photo: http://www.birds-of-north-america.net/hawks.html
Hi Chris,
My name is Lester, I’ve been in the Asian Fusion High End fine dining all my life (New York) since being drafted in 1970 during the Viet Nam war era, I had extensive Chinese cooking background. I’m very well known in the Chinese community in the restaurant business. I’ve owned restaurants in Long Island, New York City, Boca Raton Fl., Houston Tx., Scottsdale Az., Newport Beach Ca. My wife and 4 daughters really love your show and were still watching your shows every chance we’re home with family and friends. We love your Test Kitchen recipes and all the Chefs that do an excellent cooking demos and showing the recipes that are included as well. My family and friends most all myself want to wish you and your family very best and healthy Merry Holidays…Lester and family.
My ornithologist son tells me it is a red tailed hawk.
I was looking for the fox video, too. However, I did enjoy the rest of the still photos!
Later,
Lynn
Love all your pictures and both TV show’s I watch several times a week when on PBS. I found a picture of a prairie falcon that looks like your photo #14. Picture found on website http://www.livescience.com/15540-birds-prey-photos.html scoll through to photo #11.
I just came across your comments and pictures for the first time.
I have no idea how I got on the list, but I’m so happy. What lovely pictures and commentary.
I watch your show almost every Saturday on the PBS station in
St. Louis, MO. which I understand is the most watched and supported PBS station in the States.
thanks
Liz Schaeffer
The fox video is now live. Hooray!
I love your letters, it makes me long for a simpler way of life. I know from the way you write you appreciate what you have. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Love, Love Love your photos. Makes me want to be there. I wouldn’t hunt any animals, but would love to do photos of the wildlife. Thanks for the pics.
Absolutely love your photos. I am a lover of almost all things of nature. Beautiful countryside.
Another option for your hawk is the Marsh Hawk. It has the shorter tail, dark head, and light chest. Other resources don’t usually mention the species, but Audobon does give its range coast to coast, including your area. They winter over in warmer climes, and yours may be in transit. The beak on a Marsh Hawk seems shorter than the one in your photo, though, and yours is more like a Red Tail’s, so I still think it is a RT born this year.
Love the photo’s. Love the show. My husband & I watch all the time.
Move Vermont as my Dad grew up in the North East Kingdom. was
like a little bit of Heaven.
First time to actually view the comments and photos and I’m blown away! Have been following Cook’s Country on Create ever since we finally managed to get the Create Network a year ago and I love the show and all the dishes the chefs create. Love the camraderie among the staff as well. The photo of your back yard with that huge old tree and the corn field behind the yard simply took my breath away! If only more of the world could be blessed with such beauty, I think there would be more peace in the world!