This morning I was up at the crack of dawn, along with the birds and the rabbits and all the other creatures that are great and small. I am fortunate as I can watch and listen out the window at the activities going on in the back yard. Glancing up I saw a hawk gliding around the pines, and as the birds became aware of it's presence their voices were stilled, one voice at a time, until there was total silence until the hawk drifted away and you could hear a small twitter here and there. Then it erupted into total chaos as the Blue Jays came flying in and there is now an ongoing shouting match. Oh well, I enjoyed it while it lasted! I remember the other day while I was out on the deck fussing with the dog and not really paying attention to much else, when I heard a horrible screaming and was really startled because I had never heard that type of an animal cry before. A robin was plummeting downward and hot on it's tail was a hawk with wings spread and talons extended. It was obviously terrified and very vocal. I felt for a moment I was watching Wild Kingdom. The poor bird hit the windowscreen right next to where I was standing, immediately followed by the hawk, who by this time realized that there was a building and was flapping frantically trying to put the brakes on and not follow the robin. He hit, but not as hard, bounced and caught himself and then narrowly missed falling into the fish pond below, and by a herculean effort managed to right himself and flap into a nearby tree. It was not a pretty landing.
The poor dog, in the meanwhile was standing there with his tongue hanging out, the robin had crumpled to the ground at my feet, and the hawk was now hanging off a branch of the sassafras and panting. I'm still standing there flatfooted and I'm thinking I need to grab the robin and not let the dog grab at it as I'm thinking it is dead. It hit hard. I lunge for the bird. The dog lunges for the bird. It isn't dead, but a little stunned I think, but it manages to fly up and into the tree onto a branch directly above the hawk. Both birds erupt from the tree. The last I see of the hawk it is flying up and over the roof and the robin is making a beeline to the pinetree in the corner of the yard.
I love my Wild Kingdom.
