It became apparent after over an hour that this hawk wasn't going to do anything else as long as I was around. I went and hid behind the garage door and watched it. It was feeding on it's kill, but then I think it realized I was there so it took off, but I was able to get this poor shot of it. (Upper right hand corner)
It flew into the huge elm tree next door and stayed there. I had to leave, but when I came home about 3 hours later, I found the carcass of the dead mourning dove on the sidewalk. It had been picked clean as a whistle and all that remained was bone and feathers.
Evidently, my cats witnessed the entire thing and wouldn't go outside for almost two weeks after that !
Wow, what a story, and I love the pics!
I heard a horrible noise once at our old house and ran outside to find a towhee under the foot of a huge red-tailed hawk. This was right outside my kitchen window. That hawk looked straight at me as if to dare me to move. I just yelled at it to get it over with and went back in the house. Sometimes we have to let nature take it's course. I couldn't do anything for the cute little bird - I love towhees - and I knew it would just suffer more if I stood there. I still felt so helpless and sad. :-(
Sometimes we get turkey vultures here cleaning up carcasses - very weird birds, but nature's housekeepers.
and turkey vultures make that bizarre growling sort of sound, too.
I agree with you on the sadness that accompanies watching the balance of nature...cruel as it is.
Awesome photos and story JasperDale.
Crows are still hanging out and I saw a pair of heron flying by today. The Bushtit didn't wake me up today. They seem to know when the crows are around and hide. I guess I see a lot more of the balance of nature here on the farm, but that doesn't mean I don't feel sad when I see one of me feathered friends is no longer with us.
Glad my kitties are only bringing me dead mice and lizards for presents.
WIB,
SW
Yeah...that's why I don't watch any of the 'nature' shows. You know that in less than 5 minutes, something will be eating something else.....
It remind me of the movie is "The Birds"....
SW suggested I post this photo of a Bushtit nest, so here it is.
Apparently the Crow family has moved into my neighbor's palm tree. Mr. & Ms. C have been snapping 6-12-inch twigs off the trees in my yard that haven't leafed out yet, and carrying them off. They land in the palm, and I hear lots of what sounds like affectionate crow noises (much less raucous than their normal conversation). Wish I could see / photograph the nest, but I'd rather die than ask the neighbor for access to his yard.
Shhh...don't say anything, but we haven't seen a crow for two days. We're walking on tiptoes.
LOL !
Have a question. We have Jackals here. Are they the same as crows? They are obnoxious. They chase our cat into the house and when we take the dogs for a walk, the cat joins us. We live on a golf course/greenbelt. As we go down the greenbelt the jackals go further down the path with all the noise to warn that our cat is coming. She is aware of their presence and will not leave our side. We have mockingbirds that build nests in the tree on the greenbelt. I just sit on the bench and wait for someone to walk by the tree with the nest. Just as they get under the tree they are dive bombed by the birds.
Skwinter, the mockers hereabouts divebomb the cats on a regular basis. I've watched the cat ever-so-slowly move about to tease the bird, the bird dive at the cat, the cat keep on her path awaiting another attack. I mean, that cat is teasing that bird! I've just once been able to hang in on the move long enuf to see the cat jump probably 3 feet, foreleg outstretched, to snag that bird, ultimately.
What a hoot to watch! Love the rocks, BTW.
Linda
[edited to ask] Skwinter, do you mean your cat follows you like a dog with the dogs?! THAT'S AWESOME!
This message was edited Apr 5, 2009 9:46 PM
Yes and I will try to get a picture. She is a Rag Doll and suppose to hate outdoors and love everyone indoors. No way. She comes inside to eat through the dogie door and then goes outside to torture the wildlife. Actually this is the third cat that we have had that does this. I guess our cats are weird. Maybe it is a family gene. LOL.
Twincol, doesn't everyone's cat's join the rest of the family for their walks? My cats come along, well they used to until Spirit came to live with us. Now they stay closer to the house. We make quite a funny looking parade.
JasperDale, thanks for posting that photo of the Bushtit nest. The little guy was tapping on my window again this morning at 7:30. Gorgeous nest too!
DH, yelled at me to grab the camera. So I did. I've mentioned these guys before.
This is probably the best photo of the four of them together.
Got another one or two, to share too.
WIB,
SW
I crept closer, but from this angle it is really hard to see the one in the middle of the photo standing on the rock.
I got lucky or unlucky, depending on if your glass is half full. I crept too close and they flew off. I caught this one in flight.
After them big prehistoric white birds left, the sweetest sounding bird posed for me. Don't have a clue right now what it is, so if any one does know, LMK, please. I thought it was a very pretty bird with a sweet song.
I crept up on this one too by pretending that I was looking at the plants on the ground. I don't think it cared.
See, it's like the bird is posing for his mug shot!
The front view.
Last one, my favorite view of him.
WIB,
SW
SW, could it maybe have been a female Cassin's Finch?
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Cassins_Finch.html
Could very well be a Cassin's Finch, my birdwatching friend. She has a more melodious song, but may have picked up from other types of birds in the area. You should have seen my cat Peek-a-boo jump, when I played the recording of the song. ROTFLOL!
She wanted that bird!
Thanks sweetie, I really needed the laugh!
WIB,
SW
I love playing the sounds---my 12 parakeets get VERY silent (a rare occurrence, believe me!!!)
Hey SW, now that is what I call BOULDERS. If I was on one of them and fell, I would break something. I had one of those birds on my walk in the greenbelt a few weeks ago. It got my attention by its beautiful song. I stood there and talked with the bird for several minutes. My neighbors probably think I am crazy. I remember the vivid lines down the upper body. Thanks for the photo.
Not to brag, (much), I married a guy who has a mini mountain range, on the family farm. That is our front yard view across the creek and towards the fields. Here is a view of our little mountain. We are near the top, where the yucca is blooming, and if you look along the right side of the photo, you will see most of the mtn. That big green thing in the middle is a single California Live Oak, that we affectionately call Grandmother Oak. On her left, you'll see the rows of Monterrey Pines we grow for the choose and cut Christmas tree market. About half way up you'll see a road, we own the property till you get to that road. The dirt roads are on our farm.
I'll have to go take a photo of the hill out back.
It's a lot of fun living here, and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. Would like more rain though.
WIB,
SW
Rain due here Tuesday / Wednesday, SW!
How about you?
Linda and The MopTops
We're looking at a good chance for tomorrow, then a second front coming Friday. Not much total from what the forecast says.
We'll get the clouds, the cold, and the wind, but I doubt we'll get rain.
WIB,
SW
Still waiting for that rain.
Guess who came to visit again.
This is the one on the left in the first photo. I think it was chasing lizards. It stopped and looked for it's companion who was sitting up on a rock.
This was the one preening on the rock.
WIB,
SW
beautiful, how lovely to live right in the middle of all that!
It balances out. Sometimes it's very cold, and windy. The dust comes from every where. It is a good and honest place to live if you aren't afraid of hard work and sweating.
I wouldn't want to live any where else.
WIB!
SW
Okay, found another weird one (for us). What is it? Was hanging around all day Friday. (I'm behind on posting).
I have a bunch more photos. Will post the others when I have a chance.
WIB,
SW
Looks like a heron (probably a "blue" heron), SW.
Definitely a heron, but is it a Blue? The Blues I've seen don't have that dark crown.
http://www.bird-friends.com/BirdPage.php?name=Great%20Blue%20Heron
What do you think, SW?
You nailed it K. The ones I've seen on Oak Creek in Arizona don't have that dark crown. Beautiful birds though.
