I went out just a few minutes ago to refill the bird feeder and put out some fresh suet. The temperature's standing at freezing and the little birds need fuel to keep them warm. I stepped out on the porch and heard something I didn't want to hear.

James told me earlier in the week that we had a hawk that's taken up residence in our neighborhood. He caught the hawk, in fact, sitting on the deck rails that day. I'm not going to spout twaddle about "that evil hawk." He's just doing what he does, and like it or not, little birds are on his menu. I just wish he'd stalk them somewhere else, not at my feeder. But it is nature's way.*

I heard the hawk crying out as I went to fill the feeder. Hunt more afield, please? Catch the damn squirrels. :-)

Listening to the different hawk sounds on Cornell's "All About Birds" site, I guess it's a red-tail. They're "the" hawk species around here anyway. (If you are interested in wild birds, the Cornell site is great. Click on the "BIRD GUIDE" icon and then search on whatever bird you are interested in. You'll get a full page of description with nesting habits, interesting facts, photos of all stages of the bird development, and QuickTime samples of the bird's sounds.)



* ::sigh:: Every time I hear the words "nature's way," all I can hear is Maple LaMarsh auditioning at WENN: "Ohhh, Jeb...when the bear killed your father, it was nature's way."

Labels: birds, television

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. . . . . noted and logged by Linda at 10:29:00 AM

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