Can you imagine my surprise this morning when I looked out and saw a red tailed hawk sitting in the cedar tree near the house?  How strange!  And then I saw the pair of grackles that were defending their nest in that cedar.  The angry grackles were doing their best to drive away the raider.

I picked up the camera, which lay beside me.  I walked to the window and stuck the lens out between two slats of the blinds.  And . . .

A grackle attacks the raiding red tailed hawk

The fury of the attack nearly knocked the hawk from his perch.  He fought to catch his balance and won.

Red tailed hawk fights to maintain his position on the cedar

In final effort, the hawk reached back in toward the nest.  Unfortunately, I missed the shot of red tail flying of with a hatchling in his beak and the parents harassing him as he flew away to dine in peace.

I’ve been trying to capture an image of the flycatchers that have been standing guard over our garden.  I notice them each year around August.  They are probably here earlier, it’s just that I don’t see or notice them.  They are camera shy. 🙁   I can watch them from the window for a long time, but let me show up in the same place with a camera in my hand . . .  And . . .  You know what happens.  Right? 🙄   That’s right!  They are nowhere to be seen.  I’ve given up, and borrowed a pic for you to see.

Eastern Phoebe by A Lewis

That’s obviously not my garden at this, or any other time of the year. 😉 Still this gives you a good idea of what I see.  Typically one sits on a fence post near the house.  Another sits on the fence down a bit and on the opposite side.  (Male and female?  Remember, I don’t understand the latter. :))

Suddenly, one of them will dive down toward the garden and come out with a bug.  It makes me feel so good to watch them do that.  At times like that, I realize that life is good.  Good that is unless you’re the bug!

You do understand what happens.  Right?  The bug has already laid her eggs.  They’ll hatch later and feed the flycatcher next year.  Do you think it works that way?  Probably does. :beam:

I am sore today.  For the two previous days, I have been working outside.  I’ve gotten lots of fresh air, sunshine and exercise.  There has been no shortage of exercise. 🙂  I’m ready for a quiet day and a bit less labor.

It was great being outside.  While there is lots to do, there is also lots to see and observe.  The neighbor’s hired hand prepared a field for an organic crop.  Another neighbor cut hay and raked it into windrows so it was ready to be put into bales.  Cattle lazily grazed in the nearby pasture, and on Meghan’s farm the sheep played while the llama, Grace, watched all that was going on.

Birds are the easiest to see.  They fly through the air.  Some perch on trees on utility lines.  Around here there are many species.  Some eat seeds and plant material.  Some dine on insects.  I watched a sparrow trying to catch a fast flying insect yesterday.  The sparrow would almost reach the insect and then it would shift right or left before resuming it’s flight to safety.  Each shift would cause the sparrow to change direction and lose speed.  The last I saw of them the insect was still in the lead.  (I was rooting for the sparrow. ;))

Thanks linariadesigns.com

As I mowed the lawn, movement caught my eye.  It was a red tailed hawk beginning to mount into the sky about a quarter of a mile from me.  A smaller bird kept diving at the hawk, harassing  the larger bird to the best of its ability.  The sun angle was perfect and the red of the hawk’s tail was brilliant.  Slowly the hawk gained altitude and soared away and out of sight.  I like moments like that–even to the point of suspending other activities just to watch in wonder.

When work was done, there was time for a shower and a few moments rest before Sylvia and I drove the half-hour to Lowell.  A friend’s mom died after heart surgery.  Yes, the operation was a “success,” but the patient died.  We went to support him during visitation hours.

Afterward, we stopped there in Lowell to eat.  (It was after 7 PM by then.)  One of the restaurants features outdoor dining beside the river.  It was nice.  Two women sat at the table next to us.  Unfortunately, their table did not have an umbrella over it like ours did.  A female grackle had taken exception to the diners in the vicinity of where she had built her nest.  The bird expressed its displeasure by dive bombing on of the women as they were preparing to leave.  Direct hit on target.  On the side of the head.  The gals cleaned up the mess and even had a chuckle over the incident.  Sylvia and I were glad to have an umbrella overhead.

Image from Wikipedia

A few days ago I saw a bird on the lawn close to the house.  It was not one of the regulars, and I thought it was a brown thrasher.  After complete and careful observation, I retrieved my copy of Eastern Birds by Roger Tory Peterson and confirmed that it was indeed a brown thrasher.  I’ve seen this fellow every day for about a week now.

Last week, I looked out the dining room window and saw an eastern king bird.  I love to see fly catchers around here.  Eat up boys, there are plenty of bugs for you.  I haven’t seen the phoebe yet this year.  It’s about the time they show up around here.

Yesterday, as I bounced, jounced and perspired while mowing the lawn, a huge ominous shadow passed over me.  It was a familiar experience, and a glance skyward confirmed the presence of the turkey buzzard.  Several of them were cruising the neighborhood at high altitude.  Later, one of them swooped low and landed in the neighbor’s corn field–the corn is not yet knee high.

With my job nearly completed, my favorite friends came out to “dance” with me.  I particularly enjoy the presence of the swallows as they swoop and dart around me.  Evidently, the machinery kicks up the bugs upon which our feathered friends thrive.  It’s amazing how they maneuver with such skill and grace.  That’s why I call it dancing.

I’ve been meaning to share with you what I saw about a month ago.  I had gone down to the road to check the mailbox.  I looked to my right and I saw it sitting in a big tree an eighth of a mile away.  If you look at the winter banner shot which is up now, this would be on the left side just past the jog in the road.

I knew it wasn’t a vulture.  It’s too early for them.  It was too big to be a hawk.  It was even larger than the bald eagles that I see around here.  Something startled him and he took to wing.  That’s when I saw his tail feathers, which allowed me to identify him later as an immature golden eagle.

This is not my photo — I found it online

I’ve only seen the golden eagle here in winter.  And that rarely.  He is an awesome bird.

Less than two weeks later, I was looking out the window when I saw our neighborhood bald eagle.  Fortunately, Sylvia saw him (or was it her?) too.

Also not my photograph

The neighbor a quarter mile south of us says he sees bald eagles regularly.  Here, I see them occasionally.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a northern goshawk.  There are other hawks, which I’ve been unable to identify.  The red-tails are common around here in warm weather.

In a week and a half, we’ll be back on daylight saving time.  Can spring be far away?