This morning's hike put me in one of those "right place at the right time" situations. The sun was just popping up over the pines on the far side of the Bayou when I rounded the first bend in the path. The old dog was busy sniffing a rabbit trail when a sudden shower of raindrops sprinkled down on my head. Uh, oh! My first thought was to hightail it to the Little Bayou House but then I realized that Mr. PJ was not budging from his rabbit scent. Strange, since the old dog hates rain and will usually beat me to the house. Ok, so my raindrops were not from clouds but from a tree limb not far above my head.
A beautiful osprey had settled in on a pine branch about twenty feet above me sending all the rain from the last shower down upon me. Thanks, Osprey! Well, I should be grateful as it could have been something else showering down upon me! With the bird in clear view and the dog preoccupied, it was the perfect opportunity to get a few photographs. I started snapping pictures thinking my movements would startle the bird into flight. Nope. In fact, it became interested in what I was doing and kept an eye on my every movement. The bird sat as I photographed it until a real thunderstorm threatened.
We have a good number of ospreys that call the Bayou their home now. Years ago, the birds became threatened by the widespread use of the pesticide, DDT. The chemical settled into the food sources and caused the shells of birds' eggs to become too thin to support the chicks. Once DDT was banned, the birds made a comeback all over the country. About twenty years ago, a lone pair moved into the area and, since then, they have multiplied greatly. Dozens upon dozens of the birds now nest in our area and you can hear their high-pitched calls as they soar above the property. It makes you feel good to watch them dive for fish knowing the Bayou is healthy enough for life...it makes you feel good.
Not every hike about the hillside is pleasant. Sometimes, a find along the way can be saddening. This morning, a pile of feathers meant that another songbird met its untimely death in the clutches of the Cooper's Hawk. These hawks are amazingly agile hunters and can swoop in and out of tree branches without ever making contact with any. This gives the hawk and almost unfair advantage over other birds. A Cooper's Hawk rarely ever misses its target. Besides using the speed and agility, the bird also relies upon stealth in its quest for a meal. Just last year, I watched as a young hawk fly into the hickory tree just above the feeders. Before dawn, it would take its station in the tree to await the songbirds that would come for breakfast. Then, at daybreak, it would choose its prey and swoop down for an easy meal.
I used to enjoy watching the birds come to the feeders but since the hawks have moved into the area, that is not an option. It is not up to me to fatten the doves for a hawk's meal. Now, the feeders sit empty and my songbirds have moved to other areas. Perhaps, if the food source is removed, the hawks will find another breeding ground, as well. My yard is not their diner!
Finding the feathers this morning made me sad for the songbird but, in a weird (almost morbid) way, glad for the hawk. If the hawk is able to catch prey, then it is healthy. I do enjoy watching the hawks but wish they would eat the voles that plague the garden instead of the songbirds that visit the feeders.
