Posted on by Trail Walker

HAWK GOES HUNTING

NOTE: This is the second blog post about the adventures of the redtail hawk in Chagrin River Park. You can read the first installment HERE.

On my trail walk in Chagrin River Park this afternoon the first thing I decided to do was check out the screech owl nest to see if he was at home. The sun was out, the sky was blue, and I thought I might be able to get a clear shot of the owl if he was in the nesting box. So I followed the trail down into the bog, and standing right under his nest, I took this shot:

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It’s almost identical to the picture I posted of him last week, except the light was a little better and I was able to show his toes in the picture because he was leaning out just a little farther and gripping the edge of the nest with his toes. They’re pretty lethal looking, don’t you think? And then something unexpected happened. A hawk flew in and landed on a branch over my head right next to the owl nest.

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Of course the owl immediately pulled his head in and disappeared from sight, and I was only able to capture a few pictures of the hawk before he took off again. So I followed him, and it was pretty obvious that he was in hunting mode. He flew about a quarter of a mile away, landing again in the top of a tree, which gave me time to catch up with him and get some pretty interesting shots.

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After surveying the area from his treetop, he flew to the ground and began seriously hunting for food. Scroll through this gallery to see in detail what the hawk did next:

Surveying the area
Keen eye!
Ready to pounce on his prey
Look carefully to see what he caught.
Gulp…Yikes!
All gone…almost.

There you have it: The end of the snake and the end of the story, but not the end of my attempts to chronicle the ADVENTURES OF HAWK.

Thanks for joining me on the trail today, and be sure to join me on the trail for future adventures. There are always new things to see!

TRAIL WALKER

 

 

 

 

15 Replies to “HAWK GOES HUNTING”

  1. Pingback: I’M HERE AGAIN… | SEEN ALONG THE TRAIL

  3. My very favorite bird. so majestic. Now is a great time to spot hawks alongside the interstates as I am driving. Someone always reminds me to keep my eyes on the road, not on the trees. I shiver at snakes and will always remember my Mother shrieking whenever she spotted one.

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