Sunday, April 01, 2007

Aerial attack!

I went outside to refill the feeders with sunflower seeds and was standing on the deck when a male Downy Woodpecker flitted in to the telephone pole feeder. It veered to a nearby tree just as a Sharp-shinned Hawk swooped past. (See also here.)

This small raptor feeds on birds and just missed getting a meal. The hawk landed in a tree limb maybe thirty feet from me and stayed long enough for me to get my binoculars on him. He Downy hugged his tree for all he was worth and didn’t budge for minutes after the Sharp-shin finally departed. I’ve been wondering when a hawk might appear to take advantage of the congregating birds and/or squirrels, chipmunks and voles that have fed in the yard. I guess today was the day.

Interestingly enough, all the other small birds had taken to the pine trees and were under cover while this attack occurred. I had thought they had disappeared because I had stepped out on the deck. Maybe not.

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