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Bird Of The Day, theme 'Raptors', alt 'Paridae'

natureMay 10, 202617412,930

Bird of the Day is a weekly community bird showcase; today's primary prompt is Raptors, with Paridae as the alternative. The gallery is heavy on telephoto wildlife photography and a few close-up zoo and enclosure shots, featuring hawks, eagles, kites, kestrels, marsh harriers, ospreys, peregrines, caracaras, vultures, and owls. Standout images include a red-shouldered hawk drying its feathers, a juvenile bald eagle flying over a jetty framed by distant mountains, and a Steller's sea eagle enjoying a shallow zoo stream. Alt Paridae entries show blue tits and black capped chickadees up close, including a ringed blue tit nibbling a peanut and several titmice portraits.

Brian Smith
@briansmith-photos.eurosky.social

A Red-shouldered Hawk, drying its feathers on a wet day, and giving a great view of the wonderful patterns. #Raptors is the #BirdoftheDay theme. #Birds 🪶 #eck

A Red-shouldered Hawk, on top of a street light, an arched tubular structure, from the back with its tail and wings spread and hanging down - to get dry on a wet day. Its head is also turned round so it can be seen and sun is catching its eye. Despite the wet day the sky is now blue.
179044d ago
nancydancer.bsky.social5

I will see your red-shouldered and raise you a broadwinged hawk I work with! #Raptors

jadesidhe.bsky.social3

Looks like it's doing a fan dance

22victoria.bsky.social3

Ooh, this is a stunning bird.

Gedankenzwerg3

🫠 Apart from the great pattern, on the other hand, his facial expressions and posture could also make him look like a speedster about to open his coat.

Greenstone📎2

At first I thought those were its legs and it was doing a “spread eagle.”

defeline.bsky.social2

Gorgeous study of the 🪶!

navytrueblue.bsky.social2

OR AN INVITATION TO THE LADY RED SHOULDERED HAWKS

Destroyer of Worlds 🏳️‍🌈2

What my brain saw at a quick glimpse

cherishone.bsky.social2

Annoyed with the intrusion no doubt

rdeck55.bsky.social2

Looks like busted out its formal attire

Andrea Peterson
@andreapeterson.bsky.social

A juvenile bald eagle flying over Jetty Island yesterday, Everett, Washington #Birds #BirdOfTheDay #Raptors #BaldEagles #Eagles #PugetSound #PNW #OlympicMountains #Scape #Stunday #Photography #Mountains #PortGardner

A juvenile bald eagle flying over Jetty Island, which is covered with piles of driftwood and rocks. The tree-lined mainland is visible in the background with the snow-capped Olympic Mountains behind that, and low clouds in between them. A pale blue overcast sky is above.
127644d ago
Happy Warrior 🎙️🐝3

It was worth every penny to save birds from DDT

kebidoor.bsky.social2

Just down the road a bit. Salish Sea FTW.

We the People will not forget January 6, 2021!, 86-472

It’s lucky it didn’t fly over Laurelhurst or they would have complained.

Marjo Slingerland-Boks
@marjosl.eurosky.social

The last one for this day is for @robcrank68.bsky.social #BirdOfTheDay theme #Raptors is this beautiful buzzard that was cooperative with me for a few minutes 🙏

85245d ago
phyllishistorian.bsky.social9

It looks more like a hawk to me.

Marjo Slingerland-Boks8

Dear friends it is amazing to read all your comments thank you for that. I see that it in Europe and special the Netherlands it is very different from you all in the USA so I hope you don't mind I hold it on our Buizerd and the translation from Google that says buzzard 🙏😅

Jamie and the More4

I only learned last year that this was a tea buzzard. We call vultures “buzzards” in the USA south and west.

NDNchick4Decency4

Looks like a red shouldered hawk maybe

Sunbeamgardener3

I was confused for a minute. I’m in Texas and when I hear buzzard I think vulture. Two very different birds, both beautiful in their own way. An English friend sent a shot of a buzzard tail feather, and I thought owl or hawk. Thanks!

bigdaddy5872.bsky.social3

What a magnificent bird. It's a very good picture.

Alan H2

And a stunner it is Mar. You always put such theme perfect shots into BOTD. Thank you for that. 🙏🙏

Only me2

He looks well fed 😁

David Preston
@dave1957.bsky.social

Today's #BirdOfTheDay Alt theme is #Paridae, any of the species, so here's a blue tit (wearing a ring). #birds #photography

A Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) perched on the edge of a bird table. It is presumably part of some study, as it has an orange ring on its right leg.
52045d ago
David Niall Wilson2

On his way to do important BIRD things.

LizBeth622

Just lovely, thanks for sharing 😍

Ren
@renfish2004.bsky.social

For today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme #Raptors, any of the birds of prey，set by @robcrank68.bsky.social I decide to go with this black kite from Shangai Zoo. It was born in May, 2020. This photo was taken in March, 2025 through showroom glass. #blackkite #birds #birdphotography #sonya7c #tamron28200mm

Be careful, a black kite is watching you!
33945d ago
LaffingKat
@laffingkat.bsky.social

I don't have many photos of #Raptors, but here's a Steller's sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) enjoying the shallow stream in its enclosure at Woodland Park Zoo. #BirdOfTheDay #Birds #Photography #EastCoastKin

A Steller's sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) enjoys the shallow stream in its enclosure at Woodland Park Zoo. The Steller’s sea-eagle is the largest sea-eagle and the heaviest known eagle. It has a dark brown body; white forehead, shoulders, tail, and thighs; and bright-yellow eyes, bill, and feet.
35544d ago
rekati.bsky.social2

Bald Eagle on the Pond, 2025.

Rob Crank Photography
@robcrank68.bsky.social

Good morning. Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Raptors, any of the birds of prey. The Alt Theme is #Paridae, any of the species. I'm going with Kestrels & Marsh Harriers from my recent North East trip. #birds #ECK #photography #ukbirding #CanonR5mkii @rspb.bsky.social #naturephotography #BirdLife

29045d ago
eeeefarm.bsky.social17

#BirdOfTheDay #Raptors Bald Eagle, Osprey, Merlin, Great Horned Owl.

Alan H2

Excellent themes Rob. If only I’d been prepared. 😁😁 Fabulous captures as always. 👌👌

Dr Anke Marsh2

Great photos and looks like you had a great trip! Welcome back!

Aj d'Wit (Audrey)2

Nice. Hope you had a good time away.

Alan H
@alan678.bsky.social

My cohost Rob @robcrank68.bsky.social said: “ Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Raptors, any of the birds of prey. The Alt is #Paridae, any of the species.” Going with another from the day I saw this very young buzzard/ hawk in a bush. Hadn’t grown to mistrust humans yet. #birds #photography #ECK

A juvenile buzzard perches alertly on a bare, lichen-covered tree branch against a clear blue sky. The bird’s mottled brown and cream plumage is brightly lit by sunlight, showing dark streaks across its chest and broad brown wings folded at its sides. Its hooked beak and yellow talons stand out sharply as it grips the thin branch, scanning the surroundings with an intense gaze.
27245d ago
Kort Duce
@kortduce.bsky.social

A female Cooper's hawk perches along St. Vrain Creek in Longmont, Colorado. #StunDay #BirdOfTheDay #Raptors #Paridae #bird #birds #birdphotography #EastCoastkin #ECK #hawk #hawks #riparian #habitat #BirdsSeenln2026

Photo by Kort Duce A female Cooper's hawk perches along St. Vrain Creek in Longmont, Colorado. In this vertical color photograph, a branch rises sharply from the bottom left of the frame toward the upper right, creating a strong diagonal line. The hawk is perched along this branch, facing the camera with its head turned to its left, revealing the detail of its right profile. The feather detail is striking, from the finely patterned chest to the smooth contouring along the wings. Its eyes, beak, and talons are rendered with remarkable clarity, emphasizing the intensity and precision of this bird of prey. The background falls into a soft blur of riparian forest—tree trunks and limbs layered with a few delicate branches hanging in the upper right. Patches of muted gray sky filter through, hinting at overcast conditions. The result is a compelling portrait that highlights both the beauty and quiet power of the hawk.
27745d ago
PJ 🇮🇪☘️
@knotweed-ireland.bsky.social

Bird of The Day - (Paridae) Blue Tit devouring a peanut in the rose bush. Co. Galway, Ireland. #Paridae #BirdOfTheDay #BlueTit #Birds #Wildlife #Ireland #Nature #ECK #Photography #NaturePhotography #BirdPhotography #PhotographyIsArt

Blue Tit in the sunshine with a peanut perched in a rose bush. Co. Galway, Ireland.
23045d ago
Alan H2

Love watching them strip the peanut first PJ. Gorgeous and intimate shot.

Gray
@grays.art

Red-shouldered hawk afloof (Buteo lineatus) Crew flint pen strand trails Bonita Springs, FL 4-19-26 Rob & Alan’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Raptors, any of the birds of prey. The Alt Theme is #Paridae, any of the tit family. #ECK #photography #birds #nature #stunday #blueskyMonday #threewordgenre

From below, close up of an orange, cream, and brown raptor atop a sand pine, its feathers floofed, looking over a large glade, against a deep blue sky.
21845d ago
jane phượng, Ph.D (she/her) Ngunnawal Country
@janephuong.bsky.social

This was the only time I saw a wedge-tailed eagle for #Raptors Thanks Alan and Rob for #BirdOfTheDay themes

21445d ago
Cate8

Red Tail? Just outside my front door. Proximity to the James River. . #BirdSky #BirdoftheDay #Raptor

Mark D Alexander
@mad7500.bsky.social

#BirdOfTheDay #Raptors 💚🪶📷 #SuffolkOwls don’t fly them often, but when they do.. hide all cuddly toys, food, children 😁😉… they are beautifully Scatty .. such fun.. Top ‘Stanley’ Striated Caracara Bottom ‘Fred’ Crested Caracara #Birds #Nature #Photography #EastCoastKin …Vultures later 🎶 🎸😎

Striated Caracara in flight wings down
17744d ago
Alan H2

All fabulous but that fourth shot is absolutely stunning Mark. 👏👏👏

Tom2

Hi, Mark. Great photos!! Hope you had a nice weekend! ✨☮️🦋

julielfrost.bsky.social
@julielfrost.bsky.social

A Cooper's hawk looking for its next meal at the Sweetwater Wetlands, Tuscon, AZ USA. #Raptors #BirdOfTheDay #Birds #Photography #BirdsOfPrey #BirdsSeenIn2026 #WildlifePhotography

A Cooper's hawk sits in the sunlight on a barren tree branch.
18945d ago
Anna Quent
@annaquent.bsky.social

Der heutige #BirdOfTheDay von @robcrank68.bsky.social hat das Thema #Raptors Raubvögel. Hier ein Mäusebussard, der sich gerne auf der Stange vom Wäschegestell auf der Wiese aufhält.

Mäusebussard in Seitenansicht, mit Blick zur linken Bildseite, sitzt auf einer Metallstange, über die Wäschleinen verlaufen, in der Sonne. Er hat den Schnabel leicht geöffnet.
12945d ago

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