Saturday, January 26, 2013

raptor equivalent of staring into the fridge


This red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) was looking for food,
perched in a big Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)
on the south side of the open field next to our house (couch photos).


Watching it look all around,
I realized it was doing what we do:
looking for something to eat.

Can you imagine being hungry,
and having "outside" be your refrigerator?

What to eat... what to eat... 

If you are a predator,
not a lot of food is just sitting there, ready for you to eat.

 Mostly pinecones and grass... anything back there?

It takes work.

 Voles?

Moles? 

Mice?

Lizards?

Frogs?

Rats! I'm out.

Annnd this red-shouldered hawk,
with its famously strong time management skills,
left for more fruitful fields.

So, the next time you can't figure out what to eat,
maybe take a moment and be grateful
that you have more options
 than going outside and killing whatever you can find.

xobb



5 comments:

  1. Imagine staring into the fridge and saying, "Oh yeah, it's winter, no lizards or snake for 4 months.:

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, RIGHT?!? =) EXCELLENT point. Can't be easy.

      Delete
  2. Love this! Next time I stand staring into the fridge, I'll remember the hawk and think of mice and moles. Raw. With the skins on. Might help with the diet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hee. =) That's too funny. Really not the same as chocolate chip cookies, eh?

      Delete
  3. Love this post... we should be grateful we don't have to hunt like this raptor!

    ReplyDelete

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