Tuesday, May 10, 2011

A Hawk Eating Its Prey

I gave clues. I even openly mentioned that it was near. But I didn't come right out and say that a hawk had come down into the forest and actually caught something... Until now!

I was hearing the hawk all day while I was at the nature park. I wondered if I would get more than a glimpse. I even told a few other people that I met that the calls they were hearing were from a hawk. But I never believed I would have the opportunity to get pictures.

While I was almost out of the park I saw a huge bird fly up from the ground. At first glance I thought it was a great blue heron because of its huge size, but I quickly realized that it was a red-tailed hawk. And it had something in its talons. It had captured another animal.

The huge size made it look as if the wings were flapping in slow motion as it rose from the ground. But then the bird quickly landed in a high branch of a big tree. What I thought I had lost in my haste to get a picture was now a new opportunity.

I quickly began taking as many pictures as I could as the huge predator began devouring its meal. The bird had been much closer to the forest than I realized before, and now I realized why all the other animals were staying so close to the forest floor that day. I thought they were being overly nervous, but they knew that this monster was coming for them.

And what poor innocent creature did the huge flying beast finally capture and make into its meal? Its prey this time turned out to be a garter snake. A garter snake is one of the most harmless creatures out here. It's also a predator, but sometimes even chipmunks are predators. Poor creature. But then again a hawk has to eat too.

This last picture is not quite adequate to show it, but this is closer to what my eyes saw when I looked towards the bird. The camera sees much better than I can. I'm glad I had it with me to share this exciting event. There were many more pictures, but I like these the best.

No further pictures can capture my excitement and wonder, but my words can help. I get excited with the smallest sighting, but this was something extraordinary for me. To see a bird like this in flight is wonderful, but to see it this close is something special. This is one reason why I love nature so much.


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12 comments:

  1. What a wonderful capture for you Ratty!! You got some great pictures. I never can get close ups of the huge hawk that comes around here at times. But I did see it carry off a squirrel the other day. He was far in the woods and my camera couldn't catch him. It sure seems nice to have the green back again!! Have a good day!

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  2. I had a friend rehab a large red-tail and it would fly over and land on your arm with a whistle.The hard part was they don't wash their tallons so sometimes it had rabbit all over.

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  3. Wow! That is a really great series of pictures. I've sure never gotten anything like that.

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  4. wow, really great pictures Ratty, something that really will haunt our memory. I too have wanted to take a picture 2 weeks ago of a similar occurence, also of a red tailed hawk, but I failed because it happened outside our classroom and did not have a camera. The motion you were describing is very similar, the hawk flying up from the ground. Only that it went inside a very lush tree full of leaves, thus after it had gone up the tree, I could not see it anymore :(

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  5. WOW, that must have been an amazing sight to see. I must admit though, even though I know this is how they survive, I wouldn't want to have to watch them in action. I would just feel too darn bad for the little victim :)

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  6. While I love nature and all that, I still find it gruesome to see a hawk devouring prey. EEk. We've had a hawk in our 'hood for some time, and I still get freaked out when I see it swoop down on some hapless creature.

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  7. Predator and prey, the circle of life and you captured it Ratty. I have seen our hawk (a female that I see often in the trees at the back of my yard) flying with a capture but she flies into the leaves before I can get a photo.

    Maybe this is a parent with little ones to feed, certainly not a monster. Did you see any nests?

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  8. What a cool capture! As a cat I am down with the circle of life... just so long as the buck stops right at my dainty little paws.

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  9. A terrific expose on raw nature! Thanks Ratty, this is one of your most unforgettable posts!

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  10. Some lovely photos...most people would hate to witness this kind of event but I love to see the circle of life going round.

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  11. What a cool thing to witness!!

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