A red tailed hawk has moved into our backyard

Fantastic!!!

OO!

Pictures please

djoo do the carving in the second pic?

Hawks- -some of my favorite people. We had one perched on the gate the other morning. It was not the red tail kind, but it was magnificent.

Once while I was living at Ft Meade, when I was on the way driving to work I saw a hawk actually swoop down and capture a mouse. All I saw was the actual moment that he struck the 3-4 inches of snow a couple dozen feet from the road side, did a highstep to adjust his grip, then fly off with his writhing prey. All in all, the whole thing probably lasted about 3 seconds.

That was the only time I've ever seen anything like that in my life - besides on the animal channel or something. That was about 6 years ago, but thinking of it still impresses me.

Small white scampering dogs are too big for them, aren't they?

I should hope so!

Are they unusual in Arizona/New Mexico/whatever country you live in?

Actually not but I think Salldog is just to fat and heavy. However, Ann from next door called me and said "Don't let Sallydog out, the hawk is back."

We've seen 'em here, including one that was perched on top of our detached garage with an unfortunate pigeon in its talons.

No, fairly common however, not much seen outside of high mountains and isolated desert areas.

huh

We can't go for a walk here without seeing them. They're often in the neighbourhood. They're quite city-tolerant.

I'm not surprised they're city tolerant, but we have a lot of regular old nature around here - in my case about fifty feet away. But - the petroglyphs are covered with snow today...

We saw more hawks in the outskirts of cities, or in rural areas, back in California.

The red tailed hawk (more commonly know as "chicken hawk in these parts) is common to the foot-hills and mountains of southern colorado and northern new mexico. When i was still in the ranching business there was one that lived in the old cottonwood tree near the barn. He/she was quite fond of cats, especially for sunday brunch. He'she seemed to be in constant food competition with barn owl that lived in the cottonwood tree across the road. Field mice were scarce.

Hmmm, I hope your neighborhood cat count doesn't go down. Sally, on the other hand, might like that.

Wow, Dys. Some of us are blessed.
We have a beautiful Siamese-mix cat visiting us. I've been giving into the temptation to feed him tuna and sardines (I usually share a can with him), and as a result she returns. We think she has a home, so we do not let him into the house. But he is beautiful. What I enjoy most of all is how this cat has become my boss. She seems to feel totally entitled to my treats. When I take too long in bringing the fish, he subjects me to the most severe and abusive meows.

But a hawk...that would be the best. They are respectful.

Speaking of Siamese cats, we have Dante. The normal routine is that Dante wakes me about 5 a.m. for his brekkies then he goes back to bed. This morning he was unusually insistent on his brekkies and the lady Diane got up to feed him, she put his regular food in his bowl atop the washing machine, he promply jumped off the washing machine and came back to bed (on my head) because the routine is I, The Dys are to feed him brekkies while the lady Diane is supposed to feed him his dinner. I gave up, I got up, I fed the damn cat, he cleaned out his bowl and went back to bed.

Humans are easy to train.


You don't even have to feed 'em.

I believe farmerman was curious about the carving. As am I.

Information please.