Saturday, August 02, 2014

The Red-tailed Hawk vs the Red-winged Blackbird

I was sitting in a restaurant when a Red-tailed Hawk flew in and landed on a pole out by the highway.  So out I went to see what the hawk was up to.
Then I realized unless she thought I was out there focusing on other things she just might not stay around.
I began investigating the Milkweed which I'd meant to do in the the area anyway.  And indeed  this Milkweed also has red beetles with black spots.

The Queen Anne's Lace is coming into bloom.

And when I look up again at the Redtail a pugnacious Red-winged Blackbird arrived to scold and harass her.

And every time Red-wing  Check-ed her or gave her a Teee-er he'd spread his he'd spread his tail.  This went on for awhile until Red-tail was annoyed.....
...enough  to give Red-wing her full attention.  He kept scolding anyway.
She leaned forward in an even more threatening posture.  Red-wing just kept scolding.
 Then perhaps deciding she'd put up with the noise as he wasn't within nabbing distance nor worth the effort of a chase, she went back to hunting.

Happy Hawking!
Donegal Browne

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