The Hunt Is On

Today I was called downstairs to witness a visitor to our small, urban, backyard. Throw out a little bird seed on our first, cold and snowy morning, and look what kind of dinner guest you can attract!

When I rounded the corner in the house, to see what all the fuss was about, our English Pointer was on point, nose to the glass and shaking like a 5.0 earthquake! "Good girl," I thought, as I raced for my camera body with the 70-200mm lens. She's only experienced grouse and pheasant twice in her life and low and behold, she's on full point on a hawk! If a gun went off, all bets are off, however. She's gun shy.

My neighbor had told me that a hawk was in the neighborhood. I had shared with her two places where I've seen them nesting this year. Both sites are within a 1/4 mile of our house; a tree at the end of the street and in Lake Park. Just check out the ravine on the north side of the lighthouse. This summer I heard them learning how to fly in the ravine while walking the dog, so there was lots of chatter from mom.

This Cooper's Hawk flew down to the ground and searched amongst the grasses and berry brambles. That's where the rabbits like to go. Funny, I'd never seen a hawk hunting along the ground before. I usually spot them along the interstate, perched up high to pounce upon voles and mice. So it was fun to have a little natural history lesson in my urban backyard. I think I'll keep feeding the birds!