hawk

My mom was a fantastic birder. She knew the names of all her birds. Me? Not so much.... I love to watch birds, feed them, and am amazed at them, but I have a dickens of a time when it comes to identifying them. Or remembering what they are from season to season.

We have a hawk hanging around our place.... I believe it to be the sharp-skinned hawk. Heck, it could be just about any kind of hawk and I wouldn't be able to identify it correctly! REGARDLESS of which type it is.... I want them gone. They don't belong in my back yard. Or my front yard. I have birds. And little squirrels. And baby squirrels. I suspect that's why they're here....

It's not the first time we've had hawks hanging around. The fascinating part is the interaction between them and our Blue Jays. Now, I don't know how a Jay gets this certain job.... if he has to apply, or if he's assigned the job by virtue of being the oldest, the youngest, the dumbest, the bravest, or what.... But there's always one Blue Jay in the flock that is expected to keep the hawk away from the others. You'll see the Blue Jay flying, like crazy, with the hawk right behind. The Blue Jay keeps him away from the food source so the other Jays can enjoy their meal. Hawk free. It's interesting to watch. I feel sorry for the Jay that's been assigned this job. What if the hawk is faster? What if the Jay gets caught.... It's a brave Jay that gets this job....