"A Sand County Almanac"

"THERE ARE SOME WHO CAN LIVE WITHOUT WILD THINGS AND SOME WHO CANNOT."
"FOR US IN THE MINORITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE GEESE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN TELEVISION.".....Aldo Leopold



"LOOK DEEP INTO NATURE, AND THEN YOU WILL UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING BETTER".....Albert Einstein


“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves”.....John Muir


Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Red-shouldered Hawk with Prey


I recently watched a red-shouldered hawk catch a vole, and was fortunate to obtain some photos.  The hawk was perched overlooking some ideal habitat...

When it heard, or saw, movement below it reacted...

In the next photo it has landed on the vole, clutching it in its talons...

The hawk immediately used its wings to cover the  rodent, an action known as "mantling" that conceals it from other predators that might attempt to steal it...

The hawk quickly returned to the safety of the tree... 

Where it began separating the vole from the leaves and ground litter...




When the debris was removed the hawk departed.  Probably to feed hungry chicks in a nearby nest...



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