It was a beautiful evening so I took the tablet outside and worked at the table under the gazabo, enjoying the fresh air and watching the birds feast at the feeders.
All of a sudden something big comes flying under the gazebo and slammed into the patio door behind me. I immediately knew it was a hawk, based on the force of the impact. Small birds fly into the door occasionally and this time it was a very loud thump. I looked over and saw that I was correct, it was a hawk, and immediately called (ok, screamed) for Phil, who was inside watching TV, to come look.
Henri beat him to the door and went after the hawk. The hawk quickly moved to the side of the deck, while Phil grabbed Henri’s collar and pulled him away from the bird. I didn’t want Henri injuring the hawk (any more than he was already hurt) and I didn’t want the hawk injuring Henri. (I’m sure the Henri would retreat after one nip from the bird, he’s a big wussy).
I took a few shots with my smartphone while I wanted for Cece to bring me the SLR. Rather than take pictures herself, she wanted me to take the camera and as I put my cell phone down, I dropped it. The hawk had recovered enough by this time and was scared off by the noise, so no high quality zoom shots of the bird.
I often see two hawks in the backyard, as our feeders provide a wonderful buffet for many birds. We even had the opportunity to see a small woodpecker become lunch one winter day. 🙁
