I don't want to end the blogging day with a picture of you-know-who at the top of the page, so I'll add this absolutely awesome photo (click to embiggen) that was the winner in the "Animal Behavior" category of the British Wildlife Photography awards for 2026. Credit Mark Parker, via The Atlantic, where there are other excellent photos.
It speaks volumes about how you, and we, feel about a certain person, when you deem it best to post a photo of a vicious death in the making, rather that show the aforementioned person's visage.
ReplyDeleteThere’s a goshawk that’s been hanging out in our neighborhood. I first noticed it last December when it swooped down to snatch a sparrow that was picking up seeds around the base of our feeder. We watched it feed for at least a half hour sitting on top of a cedar fencepost outside our window.
ReplyDeleteAfter a few more raids over succeeding days, bird traffic in our yard has really slowed, most notably, a trio of blue jays trained to come to our deck for peanuts when we’d whistle for them. I haven’t seen them for more than 2 months now.
And 2 days ago, I almost stepped on the bloody carcass of a squirrel while walking out to the garage. I have no proof that the hawk was responsible, but it was on the sidewalk just below that same fencepost.
I saw a post somewhere (?Facebook) where someone wanted to keep hawks or eagles away from birds in his yard, so he set up a feeding station designed to attract crows because he said crows and the raptors are mortal enemies. I don't know if there is science behind that. You might search the keywords.
DeleteCodex: Yes. Well known.
Deletehttps://youtube.com/watch?v=dt6OMn7JFLE
Depending on the species, but ravens live in large families. Think fifth cousin twice removed. Will post sentries on roof tops. Preen each other at shift change. A warning call will bring others. I watched several times as four of them pushed a much larger bird of prey higher into more turbulent air.
In the woods behind our home, sometimes a group of crows will gang up on an owl to try to drive it away. The cacophony is rather annoying to us humans as well.
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