The Progeny
Hawk Drama in Hoytland
There's been much avian ado, the past two days.
I was hearing a high-pitched sound, repeated over and over the other morning, and naturally I turned to Ethan. Ethan, who seems to have an opinion on everything, "Do you hear that? What is going on outside?"
"They're fertilizing in the other field...that's probably it."
Yes, because farm machinery often makes high-pitched, repetitive, squeals.
Going outside to take a few pictures, my attention swung to a group of crazy grackles, giving their best imitation of a group of thugs, heckling some unfortunate victim.
As I wandered over to the north property, I heard the screamy call again, and suddenly it registered, "Hey...I know that sound...it's a hawk!"
Well, Red-tailed hawks are in abundance out here in farmland, but never in the trees surrounding our house.
Today I finally got a picture.
Poor guy (or gal). There are always a bunch of grackles or whatnot, trash talkin' the lonely raptor.
They just won't let it alone...
...driving it from Mr. Lupkes' trees, to our trees, to the property south of us, and back again.
You can hear the very distinctive call, whenever you're outside, and sometimes inside the house.
Speaking of distinctive calls, the voice of the Red-tailed hawk is what's used in almost every movie, no matter what the type of hawk or eagle. It's just so awesomely raptory :-)
I figured the grackles were overreacting. Engaging in a little manly blowharding, while the females stay home and slave over the kids. But then I looked up what they eat, and while they do go mostly for mice, voles and small mammals, they also eat blackbirds.
They've even enlisted the local Eastern Kingbird to help them, and kingbirds are fierce and fearless attackers.
I feel kinda sorry for the hawk.
Why can't they all just get along?
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I was hearing a high-pitched sound, repeated over and over the other morning, and naturally I turned to Ethan. Ethan, who seems to have an opinion on everything, "Do you hear that? What is going on outside?"
"They're fertilizing in the other field...that's probably it."
Yes, because farm machinery often makes high-pitched, repetitive, squeals.
Going outside to take a few pictures, my attention swung to a group of crazy grackles, giving their best imitation of a group of thugs, heckling some unfortunate victim.
As I wandered over to the north property, I heard the screamy call again, and suddenly it registered, "Hey...I know that sound...it's a hawk!"
Well, Red-tailed hawks are in abundance out here in farmland, but never in the trees surrounding our house.
Today I finally got a picture.
Poor guy (or gal). There are always a bunch of grackles or whatnot, trash talkin' the lonely raptor.They just won't let it alone...
...driving it from Mr. Lupkes' trees, to our trees, to the property south of us, and back again.You can hear the very distinctive call, whenever you're outside, and sometimes inside the house.
Speaking of distinctive calls, the voice of the Red-tailed hawk is what's used in almost every movie, no matter what the type of hawk or eagle. It's just so awesomely raptory :-)
I figured the grackles were overreacting. Engaging in a little manly blowharding, while the females stay home and slave over the kids. But then I looked up what they eat, and while they do go mostly for mice, voles and small mammals, they also eat blackbirds.
They've even enlisted the local Eastern Kingbird to help them, and kingbirds are fierce and fearless attackers.
I feel kinda sorry for the hawk.
Why can't they all just get along?
Tweet
posted by Ma Hoyt | 7:51 PM
2 Comments:
If I recall correctly from my Audubon days, this is called hazing. It is a typical defensive action (as in, the best defense is a good offense) of small birds against larger ones. Probably similar to the hazing done by the frats, except the hawk never gets picked (only picked on).
Speaking of birds, this time baby ones: Was one egg unhatched or could we just not see the broken edges? Do the parents remove the shells after they are hatched? Hopefully for you and your camera, the parents will hang around with their brood once they have fledged.
When I looked at the nest the next day, the final one had hatched. I was a little worried for a bit that a cowbird might have snuck in an egg.
I'll have to get another picture of that brood up, soon.
Have no idea off hand about the shells, but I assume the parents remove them.
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