Immature red tailed hawk caught a rat right in front of me!

[slackmaster]

Sorry I didn't have a camera handy. I was sitting at the computer and saw movement outside. The bird grabbed something from where the camopy of a ficus rubigosa tree hangs over the roof of my house. I haven't cleaned up the dropped figs and leaves for a few monts, so it's attracting small wild animals.

The hawk swooped into another tree just outside my office window, landing with its back toward me and only 10 feet away. One of my indoor cats was sitting next to me, both of us transfixed. The bird must have killed the rat at that moment. It turned around and glared at the cat and me then flew off with the (large) rat dangling from its talons.

I went outside a couple of minutes later and saw my indoor/outdoor cat and his buddy the neighbor's cat (hunting partners) circling the tree where the hawk had landed and staring up into it. Clearly they were impressed.

San Diego is a great place for birding. I'm not much into it but the sight of that beautiful hawk inspired me. I've seen them in my yard several times in the 10 years I've lived here. I have the impression there are more birds than usual this year because of the heavy winter rains.

Check this site out for a sampling of what we see in my 'hood: http://www.bird-friends.com/

[livetohike]

1. Thanks for the web site

:hi: I'm up here in Oceanside. I watched a Roadrunner take a lizard in our yard the other day. I agree, I think the bird activity has picked up this Spring.

This is a really nice web site.

[amazona]

2. wow what a great experience

And a great link you provided also. I haven't had the opportunity to bird as much of the San Diego area as I would like. I'll have to bookmark for future reference.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72