Friends in High Places!

I had a visitor!  Yesterday morning, I was on the pier as usual.  I fished for a bit then headed back up toward the Little Bayou House.  As I neared the end of the pier, a large bird swooped down right in front of me!  At first, this startled me..not that I feared the bird but just the fact that something flew so close to me without warning.  The bird landed in a pine tree just about fifty feet in front of me.  A hawk!  There sat the most beautiful hawk!  It turned its head to watch my every move.  After a few pictures with an ornery camera (for some reason my lens kept clouding), I decided to leave the bird be and try to fix the contrary piece of equipment!

I walked up the board path while tinkering with the lens.  The bird followed!  I was a tad confused at its antics but at the same time secretly thrilled to know that it was not frightened by my presence.   As I headed into the Rose Garden where my comfy chairs are, the hawk continued to follow!  What is with this bird???  I wondered if it was in distress and was seeking aid.  Perhaps it knew that I would be happy to help it if necessary.  Just outside of the Rose Garden fence, there stands a dying Black Gum Tree.  I do not have the heart to cut it down since it houses a good many critters.  Today, this tree served as a perch for the hawk.  It sat staring down at me from its perch about twenty feet away.  Again, I was thrilled!

Tinkering with the camera and cleaning the lens seemed to do the trick.  With the bird now so close to me, I had to remove the zoom lens.  I was amazed that no matter how much I moved around the Rose Garden, the hawk never flinched..never acted skittish in the least.  I decided to see if it would follow me further around the yard.  My walk took me to the back side of the house.  Here were a number of citrus trees that would make maneuvering a bit difficult for the hawk.  The overhanging limbs were loaded with fruit and in places there was just a narrow pathway.  To my surprise (and delight!), the hawk followed.  Swooping in and out of the trees like a pro!  When I neared the canebrake, a number of Blue Jays noticed the hawk and let up a rousing round of squawks.  This called all of the other birds in the general area and soon there was such an uproar in the backyard that the hawk, after one last circle around me, flew off into the wooded area by the creek.  Wow!  What an experience!  Perhaps a once in a lifetime event!

Then come this morning..I was out preparing for the upcoming hurricane when I heard the whoosh of something above my head!  Oh, my goodness!  The hawk was back!  Again, it acted as if it was my friend!  It stayed close by as I gathered up the windchimes and hummingbird feeders.  Several times it sort of cocked its head and, for lack of a better word..chortled at me!  I began to wonder if it was hungry.  Being as this seems to be an immature Red-tailed Hawk, maybe it has not mastered the art of catching prey..surely it has..surely!  Anyway, the bird stayed near until once again, the Blue Jays started their raucous attack.  Go away, Blue Jays!  I want this bird as my friend!  Hope to see you tomorrow, Friend Hawk!