I got a wonderful awakening this morning. Brad excitedly woke me to tell me that he could see one of the hawks feeding one of the young babies. I jumped up and at first had a difficult time seeing what he was talking about due to my drowsiness and the denseness of the trees. Then I saw them. A smaller white breasted hawk was ripping meat with her talons. The piece of meat was large enough that I could see how big it was from our bedroom window. It must have been either a squirrel or a rabbit. She/he was feeding the meat to another hawk, which was moving up and down the tree limb. Was it George feeding Gracie who was going to the nest to feed the babies? Or was it Gracie who was feeding the babies right there on the limb? We got out the binoculars to see if we could see them better and we did but trying to get a better view for a picture was not possible. We enjoyed this early morning treat none the less.
Beeks and I headed outside to make our way around the yard for our morning walkabout and when we got to the back yard I decided to step up on the deck to see if I could make out the hawks nest any better than I was able to inside. I looked up and there not 15 feet above me was one of the Hawks. The same one that was tearing up the meat earlier. It was beautiful! The Cooper’s Hawk looks so regal sitting still up on a tree branch. I immediately went back inside, leaving Beeker because I didn’t want to make too much noise by calling him. I got my camera then headed back to the deck. It was still there. In my excitement to get an enlarged photo of this beautiful bird, I took three zoom photos which unfortunately didn’t come out clear at all. Pooh! I moved off the deck and Beeks followed to cruise under the tree line where he likes to smell the moist ground for any animal or creature smells from the previous night. He went right for the base of the tree where the Hawks have their nest. He was intent on smelling something that I assume was the remnants of the animal food just eaten. He didn’t want to come when I called him and it took three “come alongs” to get his attention.
Chez our cat and Beeks have been playing together lately. This morning, Chez approached Beeks cautiously in a sideways movement. Sort of like a Halloween cat. He came up very close to where Beeks was laying and just stood there. Beeks got up from where he was laying and pawed at Chez. His pawing was so gentle and slow that it reminded me more of a pat than anything else. Chez gave him the old evil eye, then slunk into the dining room where the dogs are not allowed to go(smart cat). Then Chez Meowed loudly in a conversation type way.I don’t know how else to describe the volume and pitch that he used. He was calling Beeks to play with him. Beeks understood it that way too. He raced around the house to get to the other entrance to the dining room. Chez was ready for him and jumped up on the staircase to taunt Beeks. Beeks just sat there. Slowly Chez came down the stairs just enough to fit through the stair rungs. He stuck his head out and meowed again. This time Beeks was not going to be taken. He turned his whole body around and looked the other way. Chez came down the stairs and chased Beeker! Yes, the cat chased the dog. Beeks loves this kind of thoughtful playing. The give and take, the hide and keep hidden, the hunt and be hunted.
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