4.11.2008

A Hawks Feast































 This morning is a blue skied sunny day, lovely. The snow still firm enough to walk on due to the nights freeze. Wandering through the woods, pepper spray on hip, for we have a bear that has left its winter den. Two cameras with me hoping to find ice in geometric form on the surface of the creek. Yet instead of heading to the creek I turn and wander down the long meadow. Soon this meadow will be a shallow lake made of melted snow. A bird sanctuary, though not the sort of sanctuary that is safe, this mornings journey was proof of this. On the edge of a snow bank next to a meandering creek was a Northern Goshawk, perched on its kill, an orange footed duck. Is it one of the ducks that has been living in my pond? As sad as this thought makes me, I felt no sadness watching the hawk ripping feather and flesh from it's kill. Often in my wanderings I come across evidence of some animal tracks, a scuffle or kill; always wondering what had occurred. Wishing that I could have seen the wild in action. Today I saw plenty of action.


Tis the next day and I have an Addendum to this post: I have awoken this morning, to find a pair of mallards swimming in my ponds. They are entirely lively and making plenty of noise. Yesterday I never saw them and I wondered if that hawk had eaten them or one of them. I can barely say how empty the ponds felt to me without them there . Yea, I feel so happy.
~

3 comments:

  1. Wow, Tammie, what a powerful photo. I'm glad the folks from your pond are back and okay -- wonder if they stayed away yesterday because some kind of "warning" went out on the animal network to tell them to hide away from the hungry birds. It is amazing to *see* the food chain happening, isn't it. I feel that way when I see a farm where they slaughter the chickens and pigs and such. Also have wondered for a long time if the Earth herself is a predator. She eats us, everything that dies and goes to compost in her soil, you know?

    Anyway, I'm babbling... sorry...
    Thanks for this post...
    miracles,
    k-

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  2. Thanks K ~
    I am glad my ducks are still here as well! I most certainly can hear how the animals warn one another of possible trouble. Today walking in the woods I heard deer warning each other of my presence with a huffing sound.

    I have never considered the earth as a predator, interesting thought. Indeed our bodies do feed the earth with our passing, feels so full circle right after our living off the earth our entire lives.

    Having been a vegetarian for over 20 years and now eating meat, each time I do, I think of who I am eating. I suppose it is a way of checking in with my feelings of eating animals.

    Please feel free to share, does not feel like babble to me! I love your feedback.
    T

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  3. The Yellow bell picture is amazing.

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Warm greetings to you~

Thank you for visiting and also for sharing your thoughts and feelings. Seeing anew through your eyes and heart mean so much to me!

Tammie