This is a picture from way back in December. I was doing housework and I looked out the kitchen window, and there was a bird of prey sitting in the mesquite tree, eating a smaller bird. I snapped a few quick pictures through the window, because I wasn't about to go outside and disturb his/her meal!Apparently the Harris hawks nest in Reid Park, which is just a few blocks away from my house, so it's not unusual to see them hunting pigeons in our neighborhood. It was surprising to see one enjoying lunch in my yard, however. When I'd previously seen piles of feathers below that tree, I naturally assumed that they were the work of one of the stray cats.
I've also seen a raccoon under the same tree. And someone on the other side of the park from us saw a ring-tailed cat. Javelinas and coyotes also occasionally show up inside the city. This is the reason why I like to keep all my pets indoors -- well, that and the 100 degree heat, which doesn't stop the dogs from wanting to play outside all day.
We frequently have raptors riding the wind, but I haven't seen them catch anything yet. We've had two doves on the porch today and Loki liked looking at them.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend whose cat brought in a dead baby possum (about 5") and put it in a bag of her yarn. Expensive ribbon yarn. It took her a while, and the help of her dog, to find where the smell was coming from. Now she's going to try to get rid of the smell on the yarn.
EWWWWWWWW!!!!! I would have to throw the ribbon away. I couldn't stand working with it knowing that something dead had been rotting away in there. I repeat, EWWWWWW!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, we often have doves and such in the back yard, and whenever I let the puppies out, they like to bark and "chase" the birds, which are of course way out of their reach.
Woah, neat! I've never seen a hawk or anything like that around before. That's so cool that you were able to get a picture.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I'll admit that what threw me the most was the fact that the picture is green and you took it in December, lol.
Cool picture!
ReplyDeleteWe have lots of hawks and quail in our back yard.
The dogs are pretty good at keeping the rabbit population down. I know it's the "circle of life" and all, but I really do wish they wouldn't hunt the rabbits.
My evil bunnies are eating my flowers....I am putting out smelley odor stuff so that quits. My 10 year Bassett would love to hunt a wabbit but I think she is a bit too slow for that but she could track the thing for miles:)
ReplyDeleteJolene
Meri, we had a pretty warm, wet winter and I think mesquite trees are pretty much evergreen. But it surprised me, too! I figured I had taken the picture in March.
ReplyDeleteSaraBeth and Jolene, luckily there are no bunnies in my neighborhood, or at least not in my yard. But my dogs do like to eat geckos, which makes me sad!