For the Birds

hawk

A couple weeks ago I glanced out the kitchen window to see a big bird sitting on the grass. Before I could grab my camera, it flew up into the tree with a bunny in its grasp. I wasn't sure what kind of bird it was, but using my telephoto lens I took a picture of it up in one of our trees. My husband identified the bird as a hawk. I have never seen one that close before. Two days later we let the dog, fresh from the groomer, out in the yard and he proceeded to rub his whole neck area in something terribly disgusting. My husband tried to wash him with a cloth, picking chunks of something out of his fur along the way. I threw Kirby in the sink for another bath, nearly gagging on the smell. I am guessing that he found the remains of the bunny somewhere in our yard. Fortunately it was a milder day and I was able to open all the windows and air out the house. I haven't seen the hawk or any bunny parts since that day.

But it reminded me of the time I went around the corner of our house with Kirby on a leash to go on our daily walk. I was startled by some rustling noise caused by a huge bird. Again, I had no idea what kind of bird it was, but I threw the dog in the house and grabbed my camera. The bird had a gangly walk, and made no attempt to fly. As I was chasing it through yards, my neighbors started coming out of their houses to see what I was doing. Soon it was like the Pied Piper, me following the bird and the neighbors following me. It was pretty comical! This went on for a couple of blocks before the bird tired of the game and flew over a fence to escape the entourage. Several people confirmed that it was a turkey! Since I have only seen the ones in the freezer compartment of the store, it was news to me. But it made for a great story, and the added benefit of making the acquaintance of some new neighbors.