Saturday, May 29, 2021

A Hunter and it's Prey!

 
I'm not trying to make a statement with this post. I love ALL birds and ALL critters.


I'm just showing you what I saw in my backyard this week. 


Had I rather the Hawk catch a mouse or a snake? Maybe!


But we are overrun with squirrels and that's what he found to eat.


The crows were either trying to scare him off or expected him to share! lol


I snapped this photo not knowing what I would get....


but I was pleased with the results. (cropped pic below)


We all eat to live! Have pity on the Red-tailed Hawk!


He was hungry! (and the songbirds at the feeder live another day!)


I'll end with this beautiful passion flower seen at the entrance to the Florida Trails East off C R-484, one of my MOST favorite places to hike!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’. 


39 comments:

Arlene G said...

The food chain in action.....

Tom said...

...we all need to eat!

MadSnapper said...

the crows are hoping to share in the kill. great shots

David M. Gascoigne, said...

They say that in nature everything is someone's else's lunch......

Inger said...

No worse than people eating sweet cows. You captured a moment in nature that most of use don't get to see very often. I once watched a coyote sneak up on a ground squirrel, who saw him too late and didn't make it back to his hole in the ground. It wasn't plesant to watch, but it was nature doing what it's designed to do. A great photo catch.

eileeninmd said...

Hello,
We have plenty of squirrels here. I have never seen a hawk take a squirrel for dinner.
Your Red Tailed Hawk photos are awesome. I love the pretty flower. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a happy weekend.

Aunt Helen said...

This was a most interesting post! The beautiful Passion Flower is awesome! Thank you, Diane. Love, Aunt Helen

Penelope Notes said...

The side of life that makes Mother Nature seem cold-hearted. Perhaps it could have been designed differently so animals ate something other than another animal. It’s an option for humans but not all wildlife.

Olde Dame Holly said...

I get sad about it at times, but yes, we all must eat. I would rather the squirrel go that way, than in the street as they so often did back home. I love the maypop vine! Keep your eye out and see if it makes any fruit!

John's Island said...

Hi Lavender Dreamer! Wow, such interesting photos. You did a great job of capturing the Hawk's search for a good meal. Isn't it amazing to see the Hawk fly away with the squirrel! Thanks for sharing your blog and for visiting mine! Happy Memorial Day weekend to you! John

Marcia said...

Did the squirrel make any sound when it was caught? A neighbor up the road shared a photo of a bald eagle getting one of her chickens. It happened more than once. Cycle of life.

Debbie said...

great captures, no need to apologize!! it's the circle of life!!

italiafinlandia said...

The hawk does its task: keeping under control the population of squirrels. That's nature. Wonderful shots!

Lea said...

Great photos!
It is the songbirds I worry about when I see a Hawk. And we have plenty (too many) squirrels!
Have a wonderful weekend!

Cloudia said...

Really beautiful and awesome to see! Thanks, Honey

Bob Bushell said...

Fantastic bird of prey carrying about the kill to be the Crows, lovely photos.

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Nicely taken shots of the hawk especially with its prey. Crows seem not to like any birds of prey because the go after the Ref Kites we have that fly around here.Mind you when there are about half a dozen or more circling around like vultures they say well out of the way.

RedPat said...

It is better to be at the top of the food chain than at the bottom. You did well.

Bill said...

That's life! Great shots, well done.
Your header is a beauty, I like it.
Have a wonderful holiday weekend.

happyone said...

Hope he enjoyed his meal - we all need to eat!
You captured some great pictures!!

Lowcarb team member said...

We do all need to eat!
The Passion Flower is beautiful.

Enjoy your weekend.

All the best Jan

Ann said...

It may seem gruesome to some, but it's all part of nature. I mean it's not like a hawk can walk into a supermarket and order up his dinner.

Pamela M. Steiner said...

Wow! Those are some great photos, especially the action ones. Amazing! And I guess I am not really having too much pity for the squirrels...they are taking over our bird feeders and have been much too prolific here. I found a dead mole in the yard this morning. I do wish whoever killed it would have eaten it. Not sure if a hawk dropped it, or a cat got it, or what was the problem, but it definitely had been "attacked" by something. We gave it a proper "burial" in the bushes near the pond...hopefully something will find it and take "care of it". Yes, it is nature. I just hope no cats or hawks get my baby bluebirds. I may go on the warpath if they do. LOL. You don't really want to see that. LOL. Have a blessed weekend.

Jean said...

What an amazing thing to witness! There are days I'd probably offer him up a squirrel or two from my bird feeders (a hawk has to eat as well). Pretty flower at the end of your post, too.

Linda said...

Poor little squirrel! But that's how nature works.

Love the flower!

Anu said...

Hello.
It is the cycle of life.
Great serie of photos.

Irma said...

What beautiful pictures.
Very special to see the eagle catching a squirrel.
Here in the Netherlands there are few squirrels, here where I live you don't see them at all, they do occur in the Veluwe, which is a very large nature area.
Greetings Irma

Calendula said...

Great shots!
Well, I have no problem with hawks or other animals that hunt for eating. That's nature, too.

Anni said...

Super excellent action shots Diane!! Beautiful Raptor.
Have a great day and thanks for coming by to link up at I'd Rather B Birdin'!

Junkchiccottage said...

You have captured Nature at work. It is all part of life. Like you said we all have to eat. We have hawks here but I have never seen one get a squirrel maybe there is enough mice or smaller prey. Happy Memorial Weekend. xoxo Kris

Teresa said...

Ellos también necesitan comer. Besos.

Kim said...

Wow! What a shot! I feel for the squirrel, but I also feel for the hawk. They keep the squirrels from overrunning the place. Sometimes I'm watching my feeders and a big shadow comes looming overhead and everybody freezes! They know what that means! 😬 Happy Sunday!

carol l mckenna said...

Wonderful photos of our feathered friends ~ way of nature ~ Xo

Living moment by moment,

A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

Karen @ Beatrice Euphemie said...

Oh dear, hard to see, but hawks do what they do and nature balances itself out. Amazing captures. x K

Terri D said...

All God's creatures. Great pictures!!

NatureFootstep said...

great shots. :)
That is the way life is. I always comfort me with that the hunters kills quickly. There is not much pain and suffering. Ones dead anothers bread!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

I'm fine with the circle of life! All creatures need to eat and your series is wonderfully done. I did a post years ago with pictures I took of an alligator eating a soft-shelled turtle and I think I lost some readers. But people don't tend to like alligators and almost everybody likes hawks. So I think you are safe ;>))) (Also you explained it all better than I did I'm sure.)

Red Rose Alley said...

Diane, your post hit home for me. The other day I saw two BIG birds across the street at my neighbors. I wondered what kind of bird they were. I looked closer, and it was two Vultures. One was up in the tree keeping watch, while the other was on the ground feasting on squirrel prey! I took a picture of it, but they didn't turn out as good as yours. However, the ones in the tree did come out Ok. This must have been a surprise for you to see - it's not something that we see every day, is it? And Oh, you take the nicest photos of the passion flower. What an interesting flower.

~Sheri

Jeannie said...

What a great shot you captured. When a hawk shows up here, the crows will chase them off in the air. We can watch them when we are outside. Since the crows are smaller, they can maneuver better than the hawks. They get behind them and chase them all over the sky.

Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry