Yikes!

[Bill McCrystyn]

DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT!

I was lineing up for what I thought might be a good shot when I moved and broke a branch under my foot. As soon as it cracked he was outta there. I gotta a funny picture instead.

[Alfred Forns]

... got the birds attention Bill :)

[Bill McCrystyn]

I see your Moose is laughing.:p

[Gus Cobos]

Fast reflexes for sure...:D:cool:

[Julie Kenward]

Yes, they can be a bit harrowing when they are that close! I had one slam into my glass door off the deck feet first one day while I was typing on the computer next to it and I thought the world was coming to an end! I wish I had gotten the photo you got!

[Bill McCrystyn]

Julie - a hawk ran into your deck glass? Were do you live, in the boonies?

[Julie Kenward]

Nope...I live in the suburbs of Greater Kansas City (approximately 150,000 people.) I have at least one Cooper's Hawk that lives in my area (lots of small parks and lakes around) and I had a plexiglass feeder on the glass part of the door so I could watch the goldfinch and other small birds eat from the feeder while I did my photo editing. Two winters ago I had a large Northern Flicker who attached himself to the feeder and the Cooper's Hawk saw him and came in for the kill. I literally saw the bird slam into the window, grab the flicker with his claws, and instantaneously fly backwards, pushing off from the door to land on the deck with the bird in hand. THEN I got to watch him eat it as he was only 6' away. Yes, that made for an interesting morning!

I talked to my bird guy who runs the local bird food store and he said the Cooper's Hawks will watch to see where the birds are feeding (a.ka.a bird feeder set ups) and swoop in for a kill when they are desperate. Sure enough, that's what this one did. I still can't believe that door didn't shatter as the entire back half of the house shook when he landed against it.

[Bill McCrystyn]

Well if you like Hawk kills check out my "One Dead Rat" post in Avian. :D It is amazing how many large birds co-exsist in cities and metro areas. Here we, Hot Springs, are about 40,000 and surrounded by trees lakes and mountains but the cities still have their share.

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

What are the boonies?
Oh, great image, by the way!
Best,
Nicki

[Bill McCrystyn]

Being from the UK, I will pardon you. ;) Some here in the US call rural country areas the boonies, north 40 and the like. Just an expression. The Aussies call it the outback I think. What is it called in the UK.

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

In the UK we call it 'out in the sticks' - couldn't say why...I think that I prefer the boonies...:eek::D
Best,
Nicki

[Bill McCrystyn]

Hey - you can start a new saying! :D

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Yes, I might just do that...:D

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Love the caption on this Bill and many thanks for sharing. This definitely tells a story !