Honey, there's a hawk in the pond....

[mulberryjen]

Not really fish-related, but kinda cool. Mike called me to the window this morning, "Honey, there's a Cooper's Hawk in the pond."

I came to the kitchen window to look. It wasn't a coopers, but there was an immature redtail hawk taking a bath in the waterfall. That's a first.

Mike thinks of redtails as a sort of spirit version of his late father (who was an avid fisherman & bowhunter who loved redtails) so it was kinda cool. I told Mike I hoped that his "Dad" didn't try to eat any of our koi or there may be some family problems.

Before I became hopelessly koi-kichi, I was involved with birds of prey, and interested in falconry. Seeing the first year bird at the pond brought back memories of how much I enjoyed that as well. Maybe someday I'll have the time, money, and land to have koi & a falcon. Now THAT would be living - two expensive, time-consuming hobbies that hardly anyone relates to - be like heaven!

Pix if you're interested: hawk in the pond today, younger me w/ redtails at rehab. center where I volunteered. (no that is not a bird sitting on my head)

[Dale Torok]

Jen,

That's pretty cool! I've never seen a hawk at our pond.

Were you rehabing hawks at the Salato Wildlife Center in Frankfort?

I enjoy your posts. Always interesting. I'm a member of the Louisville Koi Club and understand from Mike Pfeffer that you are, too, or are joining? I make very few of the meetings because it's a pretty long drive from Lexington. Maybe I'll get a chance to meet you and Mike at a future meeting sometime.

Dale

[mulberryjen]

Dale -

Plan to get my sorry butt over to next meeting - missed pond tour b/c of company at our house, so maybe catch up with you eventually...

Never have seen a hawk in our pond before either. Maybe the heat was getting to him, first year birds do odd things. Worked with Raptor Rehab. up here in Louisville for several years - separate from Salato. The Wildlife Center is a very cool place, however. I really like the big snapping turtle and the bear, and the cool nature dioramas (spellling?). I haven't been back since 2001. We spent the day there with my folks and had a great time. It was the last time I saw my mom alive - she passed away suddenly the next weekend. Don't want to be a total basketcase standing around crying in front of the buffalo pen, so haven't been back since - but maybe take 4th graders there for science field trip would be a good idea and not depressing! (subtitle for this thread - "Is there anyone left in Jen's family?" )


My dad (yes- he's still alive!) cut out the article in Lexington Herald-Leader about your pond that came out before the Lou. koi show - awesome photos (except one is missing where he cut something else out of the back page ) You're pond and fish are spectacular! Still have it in my "Koi Folder".
Have to take a trip to Lex. some time............

[dick benbow]

jen, thanks for posting the pics! caring for those birds is a wonderful past time.


There's a little lake up in the mountains that i love to fish for trout. I have caught more trout on a fly and released to fight again another day that had osprey talon scars. many still raw red, yet they kept trying to eat and heal!

as a child was always interested in the gReat Horned owl, was fascinated
to be around. they always reeked of skunk!

Coupla days ago i had a bald eagle circling the house. First time I'd ever seen that!

[jnorth]

I've had plenty of Hawks visit my pond. They like to sit on my deck rail and watch the pond for frogs.

[dinh]

Very interesting - never seen a hawk in my pond or anywhere before. Thanks for sharing these pictures.

Just wondering whether hawk also likes to catch fish like blue heron?

--Dinh

[mulberryjen]

dinh - Redtailed hawks aren't supposed to hunt fish - hopefully it stays that way! They usually eat small rodents (mice, vole, rabbits, etc.), frogs, little snakes & lizards, carrion, and even large insects like grasshoppers. This bird seemed much more interested in bathing & drinking the water, thankfully. I still kept an eye on it, however. If ever one was to eat a fish, it would be one of my koi....

Dick - Oh yes, the owls are fantastic! For me, they are one of the most fascinating wild animals to be able to interact with. Worked with lots of great horned owls, and they were incredibly powerful. You would grasp them with gloved hands at the meaty part of their thighs b/c their bones are fragile, holding the bird away from your body. (The wild caught owls don't exactly perch on your hand like the imprinted ones....) The muscle strength in their legs was amazing. You really felt like you were holding something truly untamed and powerful, a real hunter of the sky.

Luckily for them, their sense of smell is poorly developed because they came in smelling like skunks alot. We learned a neat trick from a researcher for calming them down - lightly rubbing the delicate feathers above their beak between their eyes. The owls would get all limp and relaxed and close their eyes. As soon as you would stop rubbing, they would get all wild and thrash around again. It was the weirdest thing.

A couple of pics of "Hagatha," who was a surrogate mother for owlets. She had a really nasty disposition, always clacking her beak at you and trying to bite, but I liked her.

[dick benbow]

wow your posts and pictures flood back alot of memories! thank-you. most of my friends in the koi club around here talk parrots and cocatiels! (LOL)

Too bad they couldn't see our conversation....You obviously know your birds of prey!

[Brutuscz]

Wow..Hawks are cool. The only interesting bird that comes to my pond is a blue heron!! They shouldn't do any damage...right? I once had an owl near my pond at night...just the most awesome thing to see them in the wild. I was afraid to move because I didn't want to scare it away!! Thankfully, it didn't go after any fish.

[aquitori]

Not really fish-related, but kinda cool. Mike called me to the window this morning, "Honey, there's a Cooper's Hawk in the pond."

I came to the kitchen window to look. It wasn't a coopers, but there was an immature redtail hawk taking a bath in the waterfall. That's a first.

Mike thinks of redtails as a sort of spirit version of his late father (who was an avid fisherman & bowhunter who loved redtails) so it was kinda cool. I told Mike I hoped that his "Dad" didn't try to eat any of our koi or there may be some family problems.

Before I became hopelessly koi-kichi, I was involved with birds of prey, and interested in falconry. Seeing the first year bird at the pond brought back memories of how much I enjoyed that as well. Maybe someday I'll have the time, money, and land to have koi & a falcon. Now THAT would be living - two expensive, time-consuming hobbies that hardly anyone relates to - be like heaven!

Pix if you're interested: hawk in the pond today, younger me w/ redtails at rehab. center where I volunteered. (no that is not a bird sitting on my head)

That's hella cool!!! I had a pic of a Water Monitor in my Uncle's, but I got to find it...It's cool how everyone has another animal hobby besides koi....