I haven’t been home much lately, and so I haven’t been able to post much about the activity at the feeder.
However, yesterday – I was without my camera – I was visited briefly by an American Bald Eagle! Very cool. I hope it returns and eats all the squirrels.
Also, just a few minutes ago, Death in the form of a large hawk visited one of the supremely annoying Mourning Doves. I don’t know which hawk, it happened so fast. There was a sudden flight of the doves, a skyward explosion of feathers, and then I saw Death Hawk flapping away.
Here is all that’s left of the former ex-dove, now hawk snack.
I am reminded of the rendering the great Vincenzo made from one of my photos a while back after a similar visitation of mortality when I did have my camera.
Apparently the bugs from Starship Troopers are the moral equivalent of Mourning Doves. They sure seem to come around in the same numbers.
I hope the hawk has a taste for Blue Jays.
Also, some time ago before we had any snow cover, a flock of Pine Siskins went through. I wonder if I will see them during the harsher part of winter as I did a couple years back.
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Whoa-a ‘hawk kill’ in the snow….
I had to suppress a giggle here in the library when I saw Vincenzo’s ‘Death From Above’, Father Z! Too funny….could almost hear the ‘March of the Storm Troopers’ from The Empire Strikes Back’ in my brain….
You get the Fr. Z. gold star of the day for that piece – my daughter was laughing hysterically!
Father Zuhlsdorf,
You write:
Please allow me to ask for clarification as to your thoughts (and/or feelings) with regard to the American bushy-tailed arboreal rat. Please correct me if I either overstate, or understate, the issue but, if I correctly understand the tone and implications of that part of your post cited above, you bear them no charitable intent whatever. Would that be an accurate assessment on my part? [“No” charitable intent”? No. Not at all. I am always willing to put one out of its misery if it is suffering.]
Pax et bonum,
Keith Töpfer
_________________________
P.S. For myself, I have always enjoyed the American bushy-tailed arboreal rat. I have always found them, sauteed properly, to be tender and possessed of a most delicate flavor. I am a bit surprised that you don’t appreciate them. But, then again, it does take a not insignificant number of them to constitute a decent sized serving. ;-)
[By coincidence, “arboreal rat” is also the Chinese way of describing this critter.]
Every time I read something like this, I’m tempted to throw the squirrels some extra peanuts. [To …. fatten them.]
De gustibus non est disputandum.
[Peanut fed… I wonder what they will taste like.]
I don’t feed birds, but we have had a wide variety of critters seeking refuge from cats and foxes in our fenced yard. I tried to nurse a baby blue jay back to health after its parents chucked it from their nest, and enjoyed watching a mother mourning dove giving her baby flight lessons. You can send them my way! [Perhaps I could send a…. sack or two?]
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A few years ago, on a Sunday morning, while getting ready for mass, a hawk grabbed a dove from our deck, smothered it in the snow, and proceeded to chow down. All that was left was a few feathers and a few drops of blood in the snow.
Last year, I looked out my window to see a hawk sitting on a decorative piece of split rail fence in our yard chowing down on a bird. Here’s a blog entry, with photos, if you or any readers are so inclined: http://www.maxiesmom.blogspot.com/2011/03/bird-brains-warning-graphic-photo-of.html
I love feeding the birds. I know that hawks eating birds is part of the circle of life. But it tis a bit gross.
A few years ago I lived in Stuyvesant Town in NYC, what was then a middle income housing complex. I was on the East River side, facing the Wiily B and Manhattan Bridges. One or both of those bridges have hawks. Working for the Dept of Ed insured an early wake-up for me, so I was able to enjoy watching the hawks pick off the precious Stuyvesant Town Black Squirrels as they scampered across the playground.
I love nature.
And holy cow, those hawks were BIG!