4 August 2007

Bright Blue Feathers


Every day when I go to the park with the Hammer we see three or four hawks. The occasional hawk has swooped through the neighbourhood in the past but this is the first year they have made themselves at home.

Four hawks go through a lot of food. One of their favourite meals is B.C.'s provincial bird, the Steller's Jay. There are piles of bright blue feathers everywhere and the mornings are now much more quiet. Do not seem to be as many squirrels and rats around either. A small cat has also disappeared. The small broken bones in the Hammer's stool I scooped up the other day may explain that disappearance better than a hawk attack however.

Yesterday one of the hawks landed in a tree near our back window. The Hammer and I admired the murderous bird. One of us was licking our lips.

In the park yesterday the Hammer came upon a rabbit having a Monty Python rest. Not sure if a dog or the hawks shortened its bugsy life. My preying dog usually chases rabbits but she just circled and sniffed this one from a distance of about three feet as if she was expecting it to suddenly wake and attack her.

The hawks are very respectful of people, unlike the owls who have long made the neighbourhood woods their home. Owls will swoop right at your head and they are not fucking around when they do so. Owls are fearless, territorial killers.

The hawks rock.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

one day many years ago. My Mom said to me "anonymous, get your lazy ass outside and do some yard work" and so I did.

As I leaned on my rake. I watched a Hawk do slow circles in the sky, labouring to get some lift. In his claws a small white kitten, hanging motionless...but, just big enough to give that Hawk some trouble.. I was out of my mind 'stoked'... It was an awesome thing to see.

Until I saw the posters two days later stapled 'all the hell' over the neighborhood. Looking for a lost white kitty.

Mr. Beer N. Hockey said...

I bet you grew up to work for the Dope City Engineering Department.

Anonymous said...

Nah, my rake leaning skills weren't up to par.