Through my Office Window
March 7, 2008I am sitting in my office banging away on the ‘puter when I see a flurry of activity out of the corner of my eye. I turn to look and see a Sharp-Shinned Hawk take down a pigeon. Fortunately the windows at my office are one-way so the hawk can not see that I am only EIGHT feet away from it. To top it off my handy-dandy camera is sitting on my desk. Below is one minute out of about fifteen it took for the hawk to eat lunch. Pigeon, Mmmmmmm..
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Clicking on a image will take you to some of my favorite Writings
In the Court of the White Bear 
I’m torn (ha) between fascination and going “Ew…”. Ew is winning out, but I watched the whole thing anyway…..and I only have dial-up which means I get to watch it in 2-second intervals with 43-second pauses in between. I’m sure the effect is way cooler with high-speed.
Ok, now I watched it all over again on full-screen…..ew. At the 52nd & 53rd second mark….ew.
Thank you for showing mercy and not posting the full 15-minute lunch session.
Chantal,
Sorry about that. For me the idea that I got to sit next to a hawk for lunch was to much to pass up. Maybe it’s a guy thing but I know female ornithologists so maybe not. I do not like it because it’s gross or anything weird like that. I love it because most likely I’ll never see that again for the rest of my life. Most people can see that at a rehab center or driving down the freeway at seventy miles per hour. I was able to watch it in it’s entirety as it happened naturally. No jesses, cages, or one second glimpse while driving. Thanks for holding on there. Dobry Rano.
Just another day at the office right Polar?
And where do you live….oh yeah that’s right HOME.
Wow, thanks for sharing. It is wonderful to see the whole of nature. I would have been sitting right next to you in awe.
That’s pretty neat. When did you get that shot? It’s so cool because it’s so close.
Thanks for sharing!
immwia,
lol. About the only things left I haven’t seen up close are Bigfoot & Nessie, but I’m still hoping. Oh and that one time on that charter boat in the Gulf of Mexico when I reeled in that Moray eel…
Jazmine,
I filmed this back in ’06. I found it again the other day and thought it would make a cool post. I keep a folder of Critter picts I see at work. I also have a clip of a King snake eating a Black snake and doubt it would be well received. And there’s more…
Omigosh a snake eating a snake…..really though, I think it’s spectacular that you get to see all this. Living in the city, I don’t see much more than chickadees, crows, and pigeons (alive), sometimes chipmunks and squirrels. Maybe my under-exposure to Nature explains how I can be fascinated at watching your hawk doing what comes naturally to him and being a little grossed out at the same time.
But I don’t think I could watch the snakes. If you ever do put it up, I’ll just close my eyes 🙂
Chantal,
Do not worry. I have no plans to post THAT STUFF plus IF I did I would send out a Warning mailer first and put it on a separate page. I promise.
I honestly think living in the city is more dangerous. For me anyway. I cant keep up with all the traffic signals anymore and would get hit by a bus or something.
I have nothing against the city. I was raised in one many years ago. They have cultural centers, museums, concert halls, opera houses, old world markets (rice pudding & baklava were my favorite), Gallerias, stadiums, & nightlife. Sometimes I even miss it. My time Downtown, however, came to its natural end. Now my concerts are the wind through the pines & water over stones. It suits me just fine & I’m grateful for both experiences.
I think I like my Wednesday Walk thing. How about I keep the predator vs. prey to a minimum & we call it even. Deal? Dobry.
lions and tigers and BEARS! oh my!
I like taking a walk with you on wednesday, and i am with Chantal, you can keep all the EW…But I like the peepers and breeze!
Right. Less Eww & more wind. Check!
The Hawk is so beautiful! I felt sad for the pigeon..but I know it is “the way”
Thank you for sharing an animal kingdom moment with us! 🙂
that is soooo cool and really I don’t think it’s gross at all. of course I grew up in the country and have seen things like this, in fact I once watched a hawk (I think it was a hawk anyway) dive into a lake and fly away with a fish – so cool… what an amazing experience to be able to watch a wild creature from up close do what comes naturally to it. it’s breathtaking (and I mean that in a good way). The hawk does look a bit suspicious though, perhaps it sensed you and didn’t want you to take it’s lunch 🙂 lol!
hey, a hawk’s gotta eat . . .
What Chanta said! Something like this, for me anyway, requires incremental glimpses. I can’t do stuff like this straight on.. lol And I’m a country girl..:) And yes, a hawk’s gotta eat, but right outside the window? C’mon, what’s happened to the old saw that one shouldn’t eat in front of another without offering to partake in the mea.. bird? heh
Wassup Polar? It seems like it has been a month of Sundays since I have landed here, perhaps longer. This was a great clip to watch. Loved the one with the Black Snake. Did you shoot the snake in the stump, or did you find it on Y.T.?
Good to be back around visiting my favorite bloggers. I’ll be posting again at the nest in the near term. Until then, I’ll smoke one for you and have a couple of single malts! LOL
Hawk, Out!