I looked out my window and what did I see? The bluebirds were back. It made me feel better. For some reason, seeing the bluebirds always makes me feel better.

The little red house finches have been abundant lately and always, there are woodpeckers.

Then, suddenly, there were no birds. None. I looked out and where normally one would see a line of fat doves hoping for one more free lunch, there was a Cooper’s Hawk, one of the small hawks that hunts smaller birds. No wonder the birds disappeared. They know who their enemies are — and they aren’t Garry or anyone in this house. The Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks are the two most dangerous local small bird predators. They aren’t very big themselves and they are amazing flyers, dodging between trees. Does this mean they never miss? No. They do miss and when they hit a tree, they usually die from the injury. This one was just sitting on the branch. Perhaps he’d already found one of the fat doves.

After a while, the hawk left and the little birds started to come back.

I know everything needs to eat, but I’d just as soon it not be one of our birds.But if it is, I will understand. We too are predators and there’s no point in pretending otherwise.

Categories: Anecdote

Tags: #gallery, #Photography, birds, bluebirds, Marilyn Armstrong