I spotted a hawk in our community a few times before, but never got a good look at it.
On May 28th morning, as we walked along a south-north street, a big bird flew toward us from north, and perched on a tree right in front us, it was so well camouflaged, the most visible part of its body was its white front. It flew away as I tried to get a better picture of it.
Somehow I knew that it was a red-tailed hawk.
By pure luck, we got a much better view of a red-tailed hawk in action in a neighbor's front yard bush on June 14th: it was eating a mouse live, with one talon stepped on the mouse, using its sharp hooked beak biting into the mouse and teared its flesh... and also played with the mouse!
When it noticed another mouse moving behind it along the foundation, it went after that mouse, flapping its wings clumsily in the confined space, but caught the mouse in a few seconds nevertheless. It had two mice under its foot now!
A week after the amazing witness of live action of a red-tailed hawk, we were alerted by mockingbirds' screaming, looking up we saw a red-tailed hawk standing on a roof in the setting Sun and a few territorial mockingbirds flying around the hawk, screaming, apparently trying to drive it away from their territory. They tried to get really close to the hawk, but never touch it.
No matter what the mockingbirds did, the hawk just stood there ignorant of their antics, minded its own business, preen its feathers, looking around, and in fact staring at my camera a few moments. I waved my hand and its head turned with my arm!
The mockingbirds on the other hand, got tired after a few tries and they would rest on the trees around, and even on the chimney close to the hawk, for a minute or two, and then started another round of their antics.
We stood there for over 10 minutes with great interests to watch this lively and amusing theatrics in nature. We hoped to see that the hawk was eventually annoyed and took off, it did not during our stay there, so we left when the actions repeated another round.
How we hoped that we could get a closer look at the Hawk, ideally in flight.
The next day, we walked to the same street, and we heard mockingbirds' screaming again, looking around we did not see the hawk anywhere. I walked around the noisy area, and finally spotted the hawk perched in a pine tree!
Apparently the Hawk(s) roosts in the area.
Guess what? Two days later, we saw two Hawks, on top of two adjacent roofs, one big, one a bit smaller (presumably young hawk). Mockingbirds were doing their usual antics - as I aimed my camera at them, the young hawk took off from the roof top, and mockingbirds following. Unfortunately I did not got the this action in the flight on camera, too amazed to watch the live show in my own eyes. For the big hawk, it was the same show all over again but against a brighter blue sky.
The really interesting happening occurred the next day.
We were on our routine evening jogging, and it was a quiet day as far as bird watching was concerned; it was a cloudy day as well, nothing special happened, besides the usual mockingbirds, blue jays, and crows. On the way home, as the Sun set, a big bird swooped toward us, and perched on the top of a vent nearby, it was apparently a young Hawk, much smaller in size. After a few seconds, it flew to us and into a tree across the street! There was a big nest in the tree! Wow!!
This morning (June 27th) the big Hawk was resting on a small pine tree by the soccer field, and of course the mockingbirds alerted us of its whereabouts :) . This time we really could see it close and saw its tail - not really a red tail.
I believe that the hawks have been around for quite a while in our area. We spot them more frequently because we have been out of the house more frequently in the mornings, in the evenings, at dawns, or at dusk, walk in the open for half hour to a couple of hours each time.
Bird watching, is, in a sense, a problem solving process of identifying where to watch. There are natural laws. It is exciting, thrilling and satisfying, because nature always amazes me!
Explore Nature Have Fun!
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