Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a movement outside the patio door. I turned my head in time to see a little shower of feathers drifting above the fence. Uh-oh... Searching the nearby bare trees and bushes, I spotted him...a young sharp-shinned hawk breakfasting on the owner of the aforementioned feathers. He was in the yard next door, perched on top of a birdhouse (how's that for in-your-face predation?), spewing more feathers about as he enjoyed his meal. It was horrible, spell-binding, and beautiful all at the same time. Much like life.
We came home one day last summer to find a red-tailed hawk dining on a squirrel in a tree in the back yard. My (then)2-year-old was very mad at the hawk, but I explained that everybody has to eat something---we learn a lot of life's lessons in our back yard.
ReplyDeleteI love birds of prey even though watching them at their work can be gruesome. It is spell-binding and a reminder that the harsher stuff that life holds is still vital.
ReplyDeleteIt was horrible, spell-binding, and beautiful all at the same time. Much like life.
ReplyDeletehow true these words are...love this entry.