Look at who came to visit...

[TonyHuntimer]

Earlier my wife started yelling at me from the bedroom. COME QUICK! (I never hear that request in the bedroom --beat you to the punchline Allen :) ) COME QUICK! GET YOUR CAMERA! (Now it was getting good! :) )

I ran in and saw a huge hawk on our balcony railing. He was about 18" from head to tail.

I just thought I'd share,
Tony Huntimer
RaceHome.com

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2006/08/hawkathome-1.jpg

[TonyL]

looks like a caption contest, if I ever saw one.

"I have come for your soul."
"where's your god now?"

Spring right to mind.

[Texas Bob]

I think that's so cool how they can rotate their heads like 360 degrees without popping off. Look at how it's looking at your wife!

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

NEVERMORE!... NEVERMORE!... well.. um.. NEVERMORE!

[OHCbird]

"Screw the squirell- who's the hot chick?"

[WS6]

I love those big raptors. Very majestic I think.

[AllenW]

Bird-"Thats a odd looking bird"

[ProdigyCustoms]

I think it is just checking out your chick

[Steve68]

You sure he's not looking at a reflection of himself,

[boodlefoof]

I had a close encounter with a hawk a few days ago myself. Large predatory birds are very neat!

I had just opened the front door to walk out to the driveway... Before I could get off of the porch this hawk (probably about a 4-5' wingspan) swooped down to the ground and grabbed the big 5' black rat snake that had been living under my porch.

Well, the hawk did a touch and go with him, carrying him about 25' and dropping him into the culdesac in front of the house. He then proceeded to pick apart the still writhing snake.

I hopped in the car and did my errand... and by the time I got back (15 minutes later) all that was left of the snake was a skeleton and a little black skin on his tail! And like I said, it was a big snake!

[formula]

I used to think my dad was a dork for having like 10 bird feeders...then he started attracting hawks (or maybe falcons?)...

he now has the coolest back yard ever.

[Randy67]

Cool bird! I currently have 3 Merlin falcons in my backyard, a Mom & Dad and a young one. They can be loud, though. Everytime they get close & I try to take a picture, they fly off just before I get a shot. I did witness the 3 try to corner a turtle and then a squirrel. The squirrel held his ground against them and they eventually gave up. One bad squirrel! :box2: They couldn't figure the turtle out.

[Boulder69]

Check this out. Can anyone guess what happened to the prairie dog here?

[rockdogz]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[TonyHuntimer]

Check this out. Can anyone guess what happened to the prairie dog here?

I don't see any blood but it looks like a good fight. Cool picture.

--The spider...I'd be giving that thing a surface tension test with my shoe.

Tony~

[tyoneal]

Looks like it may be a Red Tail Hawk.

[ProTouring442]

Since we are telling hawk tales... Years ago I was working as a mechanic at my father's service station in Capitol Heights, MD (lovely area... NOT!). Anyway, the bay I was wrenching in had a line of windows that looked out on the pump islands, with a sidewalk under them. Thus, people could walk along the sidewalk and look in the shop.

So here I am under the hood when WOMP! It sounds like som smartalack smacked the glass as hard as they could to scare me, and it worked! I nearly peed myself! Only thing is, when I turn around there is nobody there. That's when I see something moving on the floor. It's a hawk! After he finally got up and flew away, I pieced together what had happened.

Just outside the bay door I found a bloody bird. I think that during the chase, my hawk buddy had succomed to "target fixation" and, upon actually catching the bird, looked up to discover a building in its way! Seeing a way through, he dropped the bird and went for what he thought was an opening. Only, his escape path turned out to be blocked by glass! I bet he was quite shocked when he hit the window, "what the HELL was that!" he probably thought. He never did come back for that bird though, prpbably forgot about it completely.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
'72 442 "Inamorata"

[TonyHuntimer]

:) Yeah. I don't think birds understand windows. :) Sometimes people don't either. ...guilty as a kid.

Tony~

[Derek69SS]

"Do your chickens have large talons?"