Good pluck with that
Tuesday September 20th 2011, 10:44 pm
Filed under: Wildlife

I was finishing up the laundry in the early evening, thinking it was about time to start on dinner, and came around the corner just in time to see the last of the speeding tilted sweep around the feeder and the landing in the yard.

Uh oh, she’s back–Coopernicus looked up at me.

Then his right wing fluttered and he struggled, a second flutter like he was catching his balance–and then a firm stillness. (Cooper’s hawks kill their prey with their feet.)

He watched me.

I watched him.

He let me flash a camera at him and then go over to the couch and peer over the edge for a better look.

The squirrels had disappeared, cowering; one has lost the end of its tail of late. They’ve learned a little respect.  I wondered if the one on the patio had ducked under the lawnmower blade again–I don’t know how he managed that squeeze, but there was one time I bumped the handle and had an explosion of black fur dashing out at my feet.

The hawk and I took each other’s measure for a long, long moment. But one black squirrel, unable to stand it any longer, moved in the trees, and at last he lifted off to get his dinner ready elsewhere.

He’ll take his with some Fall seasoning: a finch assault and pepper.


7 Comments so far
Leave a comment

We have a massive buck, traveling with a “nice” buck and a young buck. I am praying they aren’t too familiar with humans; they let the Knight walk to his work truck without flinching, and they let me step out the back door to try to get a better photo. I’m trusting that the biggest two will mentor the young fellow and teach him that it’s fine to flirt with the humans until the first frost, and then he must practice stealth…

Comment by Channon 09.21.11 @ 6:39 am

I’m wondering right now if the hawk that used to live in the tree that grew in the field behind us before they turned it into retirement apartments is still around somewhere — for the past few weeks the squirrels seem to have simply disappeared — or perhaps the fox is back

Comment by Bev 09.21.11 @ 7:45 am

It’s been awhile since I have commented, but I still enjoy reading regularly! You have such a way with words, Alison. Thanks for sharing with the world.

Comment by Pam 09.21.11 @ 8:04 am

“Fall seasoning: a finch assault and pepper.” Not with MY Pepper, he doesn’t!

Just wondering — is it possible for you to write a sentence without a pun in it?

Seriously, watching that wild life must be fascinating!

Comment by Don Meyer 09.21.11 @ 9:00 am

Hawks are amazing birds. A little scary when hunting, but beautiful nonetheless. And learning a little respect might do a squirrel good. =)

Comment by Erica 09.21.11 @ 2:06 pm

Groan… 🙂 I love the hawk photo, though! I’m very pleased that, outside the window of my new office, I get to watch not only the usual hawks, but also (to my delight) an apparently resident kestrel. Hooray!

Comment by Jocelyn 09.21.11 @ 2:20 pm

Oh, it is so nice to see your friend!

Comment by twinsetellen 09.22.11 @ 9:15 pm



Leave a comment
Line and paragraph breaks automatic, e-mail address never displayed, HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

(required)

(required)