There's a Hawk's Nest in my front yard!!!

     Yesterday was a beautiful winter day. It was bright and sunny, and mild for the second day of the new year.  It seemed like a Sunday, but it was actually Monday, an official holiday because New Year's Day fell on Sunday. Anyway, I was off after working the weekend.

     As is customary on my off days, I like to take my dog for a ride in the car. Nothing makes her happier-just say the words "Cindy, would you like to go for a ride... in the car?"  and she breaks into a smile, and runs down and waits by the door. She gets in the back seat, and we roll down the window and let her stick her head out the window. Her favorite destination is McDonald's. I go there for the coffee, which is any size for one dollar, which is a good deal, when you consider that in my opinion, it's better coffee than Dunkin Donuts, for half the price.  Cindy loves to watch any people, especially children, who might be walking past the car. If she's really lucky, someone might want to pat her, or at least admire her from a distance.

     Once I buy the coffee (and if Cindy is lucky, I will also get a $1 hot fudge sundae) it's back home again. Yesterday, we got home and I got out to put coffee down first, so I can then get Cindy out of the car.  As I headed for the front door, I looked up and what do I see? The nest I've been looking at since the leaves fell off the trees, has an occupant. A HUGE one, at that. It's a hawk! Beautiful, fluffy, and did I say HUGE?!
     I alerted my dad, who was still in the car. Then I ran in the house to get my camera. By the time got back out, he had flown away. But, he (or she) had flown up on the telephone pole outside our yard. I was able to got one shot, dark and a little fuzzy. Then it gracefully flew across the street and out of sight. Wow, why did this bird have to set up housekeeping here? I admit, I'm flattered it would want to live here. But I have an allegiance to my other feathered friends, the ones who have disappeared and who probably were eaten for lunch by "Hawkeye". 

     We decided to refrain from our winter hobby of putting out seed and suet. According to the advice I saw online, if there's nothing left for it to eat, it will go away on it's own. No use giving it bait every day. I'm worried about my cardinals, who have only recently returned. I was looking forward to a winter of bird photography (they are easier to film in winter because of the lack of foliage). Oh well, maybe next year-I guess I'll be taking pictures of the hawk instead.  There are lots of hawks around here. In the past we've had sharp shinned and last year a cooper's hawk, that swooped down and caught a squirrel (I only know because we found it under the bushes a little later.) I managed to get a picture of that hawk before it flew away-see above-my new hawk isn't loaded into the computer yet. We are reasonably certain it's a red-tail! Will be keeping a close eye on the sky until we are sure. I shoud get one of those camera setups that you put outside and it is motion sensored-needed it last summer to see what was raiding my garden.  Until next time, keep looking up! You never know what you are going to see!

    Here is a shot of Cindy from this past spring. She has a very serious look on her face when she is on a ride!