When I was out yesterday with the dogs, I heard a screeching sound in the air above us. I stepped out from under the trees as I looked up at the sky. There was a screaming Red-Shouldered Hawk (like the image below), a large Golden Eagle (example above) and a small songbird type swirling in the air directly overhead. The hawk was after the eagle and the eagle was after the songbird. Before I could identify what type of songbird it was, the eagle struck with one of its talons. I didn’t think that it had touched the little bird but instantly, the tiny creature plummeted from the sky. It appeared to drop in front of my house, possibly in the driveway, with the eagle in swift pursuit. I didn’t actually realize that it was an eagle until I saw it landing - it had the feathered legs of an eagle! I never though that I’d see one in the suburbs.

 

The hawk followed the eagle to the front of my house, as I started to open the gate and venture around the front to have a look, the hawk turned and flew to the rooftop of the house next door. That stopped me in my tracks. That hawk was big! It looked as big as Punch! It was still screaming. This was its territory and it wanted the world to know it! We both got a good, long look at each other. I could see its tongue moving in rhythm with its calls. Its eyes were gleaming in the noonday sun. The dogs and I stood motionless - that was a rather intimidating sight - at least I felt that way. It remained on its rooftop perch even after the eagle flew off with its tiny prey.

 

With a startling flap of the wings, the hawk was airborne. It caught a thermal that lifted it so it hovered above my driveway. Then, the hawk gradually gained altitude as it circled above our yard - calling all the while. It eventually started looping into larger and larger circles as it rose toward the clouds.  Even as it diminished in size, I could still hear its sharp sounding voice.

 

Then, in a blaze of sunlight, the hawk vanished with a silent cry.

 

 

 

Red-shouldered hawk image is in the public domain.

 

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