woah! Close encounter of the raptor kind...

You'll have to use your imagination a little on this...

Here's the scene (oh, 5 min ago):

So, the bare-looking tree on the extreme right of the photo is where a red-tail hawk landed. I, of course, immediately head out to charge it. No (externally obvious) response. Though I don't throw anything. Just stared.

Then I think, well, I'll just be practical and put my chicken away (Fanny, who was grazing in the garden attached to the dark coop you can see on the right).

Fine. So, I do.

Then, I'm back in the house just a few moments later see this creature flying VERY NEAR and LOW and think WHAT?!? Is it trying to get to the chickens in the light colored coop on the left? (if you click on the photo, you can see 2 of the hens)

It lands right at the base of the central Pondorosa pine in the above picture, between  the two coops.

A second later it flies up with a small mammal of some sort (terrified, doomed) in it's talons, and heads south to rest in another tree (a snag) on our property (see fuzzy pic below). Dining in peace, further from that nosey biologist who keeps taking pictures or yelling.

Guess I'm wildlife's version of paparazzi.

Anyhow, pretty thrilling to witness. That is a SERIOUSLY BIG BIRD.

Crikey. Pulse still a little elevated from it all.

Cool!

xo biobabbler