Wild Bird Wednesday

As I was coming down the stairs, I spotted the Cooper's Hawk (Lady Hawk, I call her) on the ground.

I knew if she was on the ground she had probably made a kill ... and she had, a Starling.

She ate until there was nothing but feathers ...

I have ambivalent feelings about her killing at my feeders ... But it is really cold out there and I was glad for her.  This will get her through another night.  

Happy Wild Bird Wednesday :)

Wild Bird Wednesday

Wild Bird Wednesday 31
http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com/2013/02/wild-bird-wednesday-31-pied.html

Good News ... Lady Hawk is back:)  All of my concerns were for naught.  She showed up in my tree, right outside my winder and sat there for well over an hour, conserving, warming ... observing.

Note that she is sitting (roosting) with one foot tucked into her feathers ... she periodically would change feet as the one that was out got cold.

She is very alert ... observing everything around her

 

 

including me ...

 

After a long time, the foot came down ...

 

And she started preparing for flight ...

 

aligning her tail feathers ...

 

stretching her wings ...

 

 

lightening her load :)

 

ruffling her feathers to get them all in place ...

stretching each leg ...

 

giving me a brief look at the tools of her trade ...

Back to stealth mode ... I knew she was ready to go and I was ready with my camera ...

 

But in the time it took me to push the shutter button, she was gone ... into the bush behind the tree ...

 

You can't see it, but she has prey ... she has made a kill and I am in awe of her swiftness and efficacy.  No, I don't like that she has killed, but she kills to survive and that is how nature works.  So, I allow myself to be in awe ...