Tuesday, October 16, 2007

City Hawks


This formerly country girl is always amazed to see city wildlife, but I’m not talking about the typical squirrels and birds you find everywhere. This morning, I looked out of my kitchen window and spotted a big hawk sitting on top of a telephone pole in the backyard.

I watched him for several minutes as his head turned this way and that, surveying his territory for any movement that would indicate small prey. I think this was the hawk who had visited once before when I noticed him high atop a scraggly tree, which was a casualty of last winter’s ice storm.

Then, I recalled that even in New York City on no less than Fifth Avenue, hawks have graced city-dwellers with their presence. A few years ago, two hawks, Pale Male and Lola, set up housekeeping atop a ritzy co-op apartment building and caused an uproar when their nest was torn down.

My hawk, who remains unnamed, allowed me to watch him, and then rather hastily, he took off with a great flourish of his wings. I suppose it was breakfast time.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't send that hawk my way! I don't want it to eat our little Boston terrier!

Lorelei said...

HAHA! I have the same fear with my Chihuahua!

Miss Trashahassee said...

Sheila,

I see the ULM Warhawk I sent your way has arrived.

Hehehehehe.

BFF,
Miss T

Sheila said...

jay,
Buddy (is that right?) could fend off the hawk I think. Bostons are quite as little as Chihuahuas.

lorelei,
Do you watch Curb Your Enthusiasm? Sunday's episode involved a small, purse-sized dog that I think was a Chihuahua which was mistaken for a rat. It wasn't a happy ending.

Miss T,
Talk to me after Nov. 17 and we will see how those Warhawks do after their encounter with the Big Red Elephants. I don't want to brag too hard because I really am not that confident. Are you going to the game?

Anonymous said...

Thanks. It's Betty. She's a girl, or at least she used to be.

Sheila said...

Sorry Jay. Close with the name but no cigar. Betty could fend off the hawk and Bostons aren't quite as small it should read. No coffee when I wrote that.

Marion said...

Well, there you go, Sheila. I wrote a post about a Hawk that tangled with a Snake recently. Hawks are visionarys...they tell you that life will be becoming more intense.

Excellent visitor to have!

Kyle and Svet Keeton said...

Great story, Sheila!

So pleasure to read about birds and animals in the city, our favorite objects to watch and take pictures ;).

Best wishes!
Svet and Kyle

Sheila said...

Marion,
Maybe the hawk was a sign but I hope the intensity he might bring is of a good sort.

Kyle and Svet,
Good to hear from you again. Cities hold their own charms even with the kind of animals that survive amongst all the people.

Naomi said...

I always think seeing big birds like this is a sign of something Sheila. Not sure what though! Hopefully it will be something positive and good.