Mon 28 Nov 2005
Talon Tails
On Thanksgiving morning, Caitie was sitting next to the sliding glass door, meowing to go outside. I picked her up and started to tell her she could go out soon, when I looked out over the back yard and saw what she was looking at.
In the maple tree on the lowest branch there was a Cooper’s hawk. I froze, but it did no good. The sharp-eyed raptor had spotted me at once, of course, and flew away.
Here’s a photo of a similar hawk taken a couple of years ago as it perched on the wooden frame of a children’s gym next door.
Hawks have adapted as this area has changed from rural to suburban. I think it was earlier this year that I turned a corner in my car and saw a redtailed hawk on the ground in someone’s back yard. The bird saw me and flew off, releasing the rabbit it had gripped in its talons. I like rabbits, but was sorry for coming along at the wrong time and depriving a hawk of a hard-earned meal.
My timing wasn’t much better another time. Caitie was outside and I was following her around the house when she slowed down, crouched and started to creep forward. Recognizing her hunting behavior, I hung back, and wound up with a great view of a hawk taking off a few feet from our little calico.
This hawk was also hunting, but had already made a kill and was determined to keep it. I clearly saw the mourning dove it carried in its talons as it flew past me and off toward the woods. (As Pat put it later, the final score ended up Hawks 1, Doves 0.)
P.S.: New York City is about as urban as you’ll get, but the redtailed hawk called Pale Male has adapted and adopted Manhattan as its home. Lots better photos of this hawk, its mate, its offspring, and other beautiful wild things are at this site, too.
