Loading...
February 17, 2000 - A 'daedly but necessary deed'SA • The Suffolk Times • February 17, 2000 `deadl How wonderful it is to be back home again after more than two weeks in the hospital having a total knee replacement. It is so easy to take all those little things we do each day for granted. We do them automatically without thinking. The simple acts of walking, sitting down and, oh yes, get- ting up all now become major Focus new learning experiences. ON Theseinconve- niences, coupled NATURE with having to get by Paul in and out of the Stoutenburgh car to get home, exhausted me, so when I stepped into the house, I headed straight for my favorite recliner. Of course, none of this could have been accomplished without Barbara's help. Once situated, I soon dissolved into the chair and floated on a cloud of relief and my struggling world became one of com- plete tranquillity. Just outside the window were the bird feeders that had been kept full during my time away from home. They were busy as ever and were in continuous use, with7all sorts of birds flying in and out to snatch sunflower or other seeds. Then off they'd go to extract the precious contents or hide them in some crevice for later use. It was good to be home enjoying my sur- roundings. Then, as I was drifting in between drowsiness and consciousness, there came a terrible crashing noise as something big hit the picture window. I was immediately awake and just caught the fleeting movement of a large bird. Outside there wasn't a sign of life. All the birds that had been feeding disappeared. A winter bandit had swooped in for a hasty meal. It is all part of nature's plan. The weak shall perish for the good of the strong. One of our woodland hawks had been attracted to the birds under my feed- ers and had chosen one for its next meal. As I could not see what exactly had gone on I called Barbara who, by the but necess deed' i ms fox sparrow is seldom seen around our feeders. Luck was with us this year as we had two of them scratching for seeds along with the rest of the birds. It is a large sparrow with rusty red coloring. way, had heard the crash from the other end of the house. She promptly surveyed the area but saw nothing. She then went outside to check around the feeders. On the patio she found signs of blood but no bird or even a feather. The rest is speculation on my part. The hawk, probably a sharpie (sharp- shinned hawk) or a Cooper's hawk, was the perpetrator for I've seen fleeting glimpses of them around here recently. Evidently the hawk caught one of the feed- ing birds on the patio, gave it a death - dealing bite in back of the neck, which killed it immedi- ately. The hawk probably then took -its prize away to a more secluded place to enjoy its meal, but in doing so, it mistook the reflections of the woods in our picture window as an easy way to go and crashed into it. Stunned, but still holding onto its bloody victim, it reori- ented itself and flew away, leaving small traces of blood as the only sign of the tragedy that took place. walked down to get the mail she came to a spot in the driveway where feathers dotted the snow. This could have.been the final chapter to my tale about a winter hawk. However, again in speculation, I imag- ine the hawk flew to a nearby tree over the driveway and there proceed- ed to feast on its prize. Then, after fin- ishing the meal, it flew away, leaving only the feathers in the snow as the sign of its "deadly but necessary deed." I don't know which of the ground feeders the sharpie chose for his meal. Most that feed on the ground.around our feeders are sparrows of one sort or another. These brownish - dipped sparrows have the uncanny ability to blend all together at first glance, but with a little patience and a good bird book they start to reveal their individ uality. Some, like our northern visitor the white throat, are easily identified. They, like most birds, make them- selves more visible as spring approaches. The white - throated spar- row's white bib and its streaks of white on its head become more bril- liant and if you look closely, you'll even see a spot of yellow starting to show up on its face as the courtship season approaches. Another sparrow that is easily rec- ognized is the song sparrow. This year - round resident with its streaked breast and dark tiepin spot is one of our loveliest songsters. It nests low in a rosebush or other shrub, but always close to the ground. As a matter of fact, my first glimpse of its nest and brown speckled eggs was when I was collecting wild asparagus as a kid. I had reached in to pick a tender green shoot of this delightful wild vegetable when a bird flew from under my feet. I could see it was a song sparrow and, knowing they often nest on the ground, I proceeded to look around for a nest. Sure enough, there it was, built mostly of root hairs and soft grasses. It blended in perfectly with its surroundings. It was a perfect nest. Later I'd find out that almost all song sparrow nests are parasitized by the cowbird, who lays its egg in the spar- row's nest, usually with devastating - results to the young Of course, mingled With the sparrows are the house sparrow and house finches. Both are introduced species and thrive in people's back yards. The house spar- row, a native of Europe, hogs the birdhouses we put up in hopes of entic- ing bluebirds, wrens and other birds to them and if they can't find a suit- able bird box, they'll build their bulky nests just about anywhere. I've seen them building over busy intersections, making their nests in the hanging street lights, or they'll seek out a crevice behind a billboard, or more recently when I was in the hospital I watched one fly behind a large exhaust fan. Evidently it had found its nesting spot there. Of course, they are not raising any young now, but like many birds they'll use these nest- ing sites to sleep in and keep out of the weather. Then there are the lesser -known sparrows such as the white- crowned sparrow, the tree sparrow, the field sparrow, the fox sparrow and many others. The reason we don't see them at most feeders is that they all requir special habitats such as overgrown fields, woodland edges, hedgerows, swampy spots, etc. The sparrows I've mentioned above in more detail are usually found in the average back- yard setting. What makes feeder watching so in- teresting is that there is always that chance of seeing something new like the hawk that invaded my feeder to- day. Or the two fox sparrows that showed up for the first time in 10 years to scratch for seeds below my feeder. Or the flicker (our biggest woodpecker) that comes regularly to our suet, and then there's that little tiny brown creeper that's also found our suet and visits us each day for its ration. So keep the feeders full and take a moment to enjoy our feathered friends. They can go a long way in making your day a more pleasant one and then again, you just might be the person who puts out the feed and saves a life of one of our back -yard birds. SA • The Suffolk Times • February 17, 2000 `deadl How wonderful it is to be back home again after more than two weeks in the hospital having a total knee replacement. It is so easy to take all those little things we do each day for granted. We do them automatically without thinking. The simple acts of walking, sitting down and, oh yes, get- ting up all now become major Focus new learning experiences. ON Theseinconve- niences, coupled NATURE with having to get by Paul in and out of the Stoutenburgh car to get home, exhausted me, so when I stepped into the house, I headed straight for my favorite recliner. Of course, none of this could have been accomplished without Barbara's help. Once situated, I soon dissolved into the chair and floated on a cloud of relief and my struggling world became one of com- plete tranquillity. Just outside the window were the bird feeders that had been kept full during my time away from home. They were busy as ever and were in continuous use, with7all sorts of birds flying in and out to snatch sunflower or other seeds. Then off they'd go to extract the precious contents or hide them in some crevice for later use. It was good to be home enjoying my sur- roundings. Then, as I was drifting in between drowsiness and consciousness, there came a terrible crashing noise as something big hit the picture window. I was immediately awake and just caught the fleeting movement of a large bird. Outside there wasn't a sign of life. All the birds that had been feeding disappeared. A winter bandit had swooped in for a hasty meal. It is all part of nature's plan. The weak shall perish for the good of the strong. One of our woodland hawks had been attracted to the birds under my feed- ers and had chosen one for its next meal. As I could not see what exactly had gone on I called Barbara who, by the but necess deed' i ms fox sparrow is seldom seen around our feeders. Luck was with us this year as we had two of them scratching for seeds along with the rest of the birds. It is a large sparrow with rusty red coloring. way, had heard the crash from the other end of the house. She promptly surveyed the area but saw nothing. She then went outside to check around the feeders. On the patio she found signs of blood but no bird or even a feather. The rest is speculation on my part. The hawk, probably a sharpie (sharp- shinned hawk) or a Cooper's hawk, was the perpetrator for I've seen fleeting glimpses of them around here recently. Evidently the hawk caught one of the feed- ing birds on the patio, gave it a death - dealing bite in back of the neck, which killed it immedi- ately. The hawk probably then took -its prize away to a more secluded place to enjoy its meal, but in doing so, it mistook the reflections of the woods in our picture window as an easy way to go and crashed into it. Stunned, but still holding onto its bloody victim, it reori- ented itself and flew away, leaving small traces of blood as the only sign of the tragedy that took place. walked down to get the mail she came to a spot in the driveway where feathers dotted the snow. This could have.been the final chapter to my tale about a winter hawk. However, again in speculation, I imag- ine the hawk flew to a nearby tree over the driveway and there proceed- ed to feast on its prize. Then, after fin- ishing the meal, it flew away, leaving only the feathers in the snow as the sign of its "deadly but necessary deed." I don't know which of the ground feeders the sharpie chose for his meal. Most that feed on the ground.around our feeders are sparrows of one sort or another. These brownish - dipped sparrows have the uncanny ability to blend all together at first glance, but with a little patience and a good bird book they start to reveal their individ uality. Some, like our northern visitor the white throat, are easily identified. They, like most birds, make them- selves more visible as spring approaches. The white - throated spar- row's white bib and its streaks of white on its head become more bril- liant and if you look closely, you'll even see a spot of yellow starting to show up on its face as the courtship season approaches. Another sparrow that is easily rec- ognized is the song sparrow. This year - round resident with its streaked breast and dark tiepin spot is one of our loveliest songsters. It nests low in a rosebush or other shrub, but always close to the ground. As a matter of fact, my first glimpse of its nest and brown speckled eggs was when I was collecting wild asparagus as a kid. I had reached in to pick a tender green shoot of this delightful wild vegetable when a bird flew from under my feet. I could see it was a song sparrow and, knowing they often nest on the ground, I proceeded to look around for a nest. Sure enough, there it was, built mostly of root hairs and soft grasses. It blended in perfectly with its surroundings. It was a perfect nest. Later I'd find out that almost all song sparrow nests are parasitized by the cowbird, who lays its egg in the spar- row's nest, usually with devastating - results to the young Of course, mingled With the sparrows are the house sparrow and house finches. Both are introduced species and thrive in people's back yards. The house spar- row, a native of Europe, hogs the birdhouses we put up in hopes of entic- ing bluebirds, wrens and other birds to them and if they can't find a suit- able bird box, they'll build their bulky nests just about anywhere. I've seen them building over busy intersections, making their nests in the hanging street lights, or they'll seek out a crevice behind a billboard, or more recently when I was in the hospital I watched one fly behind a large exhaust fan. Evidently it had found its nesting spot there. Of course, they are not raising any young now, but like many birds they'll use these nest- ing sites to sleep in and keep out of the weather. Then there are the lesser -known sparrows such as the white- crowned sparrow, the tree sparrow, the field sparrow, the fox sparrow and many others. The reason we don't see them at most feeders is that they all requir special habitats such as overgrown fields, woodland edges, hedgerows, swampy spots, etc. The sparrows I've mentioned above in more detail are usually found in the average back- yard setting. What makes feeder watching so in- teresting is that there is always that chance of seeing something new like the hawk that invaded my feeder to- day. Or the two fox sparrows that showed up for the first time in 10 years to scratch for seeds below my feeder. Or the flicker (our biggest woodpecker) that comes regularly to our suet, and then there's that little tiny brown creeper that's also found our suet and visits us each day for its ration. So keep the feeders full and take a moment to enjoy our feathered friends. They can go a long way in making your day a more pleasant one and then again, you just might be the person who puts out the feed and saves a life of one of our back -yard birds. SA • The Suffolk Times • February 17, 2000 `deadl How wonderful it is to be back home again after more than two weeks in the hospital having a total knee replacement. It is so easy to take all those little things we do each day for granted. We do them automatically without thinking. The simple acts of walking, sitting down and, oh yes, get- ting up all now become major Focus new learning experiences. ON Theseinconve- niences, coupled NATURE with having to get by Paul in and out of the Stoutenburgh car to get home, exhausted me, so when I stepped into the house, I headed straight for my favorite recliner. Of course, none of this could have been accomplished without Barbara's help. Once situated, I soon dissolved into the chair and floated on a cloud of relief and my struggling world became one of com- plete tranquillity. Just outside the window were the bird feeders that had been kept full during my time away from home. They were busy as ever and were in continuous use, with7all sorts of birds flying in and out to snatch sunflower or other seeds. Then off they'd go to extract the precious contents or hide them in some crevice for later use. It was good to be home enjoying my sur- roundings. Then, as I was drifting in between drowsiness and consciousness, there came a terrible crashing noise as something big hit the picture window. I was immediately awake and just caught the fleeting movement of a large bird. Outside there wasn't a sign of life. All the birds that had been feeding disappeared. A winter bandit had swooped in for a hasty meal. It is all part of nature's plan. The weak shall perish for the good of the strong. One of our woodland hawks had been attracted to the birds under my feed- ers and had chosen one for its next meal. As I could not see what exactly had gone on I called Barbara who, by the but necess deed' i ms fox sparrow is seldom seen around our feeders. Luck was with us this year as we had two of them scratching for seeds along with the rest of the birds. It is a large sparrow with rusty red coloring. way, had heard the crash from the other end of the house. She promptly surveyed the area but saw nothing. She then went outside to check around the feeders. On the patio she found signs of blood but no bird or even a feather. The rest is speculation on my part. The hawk, probably a sharpie (sharp- shinned hawk) or a Cooper's hawk, was the perpetrator for I've seen fleeting glimpses of them around here recently. Evidently the hawk caught one of the feed- ing birds on the patio, gave it a death - dealing bite in back of the neck, which killed it immedi- ately. The hawk probably then took -its prize away to a more secluded place to enjoy its meal, but in doing so, it mistook the reflections of the woods in our picture window as an easy way to go and crashed into it. Stunned, but still holding onto its bloody victim, it reori- ented itself and flew away, leaving small traces of blood as the only sign of the tragedy that took place. walked down to get the mail she came to a spot in the driveway where feathers dotted the snow. This could have.been the final chapter to my tale about a winter hawk. However, again in speculation, I imag- ine the hawk flew to a nearby tree over the driveway and there proceed- ed to feast on its prize. Then, after fin- ishing the meal, it flew away, leaving only the feathers in the snow as the sign of its "deadly but necessary deed." I don't know which of the ground feeders the sharpie chose for his meal. Most that feed on the ground.around our feeders are sparrows of one sort or another. These brownish - dipped sparrows have the uncanny ability to blend all together at first glance, but with a little patience and a good bird book they start to reveal their individ uality. Some, like our northern visitor the white throat, are easily identified. They, like most birds, make them- selves more visible as spring approaches. The white - throated spar- row's white bib and its streaks of white on its head become more bril- liant and if you look closely, you'll even see a spot of yellow starting to show up on its face as the courtship season approaches. Another sparrow that is easily rec- ognized is the song sparrow. This year - round resident with its streaked breast and dark tiepin spot is one of our loveliest songsters. It nests low in a rosebush or other shrub, but always close to the ground. As a matter of fact, my first glimpse of its nest and brown speckled eggs was when I was collecting wild asparagus as a kid. I had reached in to pick a tender green shoot of this delightful wild vegetable when a bird flew from under my feet. I could see it was a song sparrow and, knowing they often nest on the ground, I proceeded to look around for a nest. Sure enough, there it was, built mostly of root hairs and soft grasses. It blended in perfectly with its surroundings. It was a perfect nest. Later I'd find out that almost all song sparrow nests are parasitized by the cowbird, who lays its egg in the spar- row's nest, usually with devastating - results to the young Of course, mingled With the sparrows are the house sparrow and house finches. Both are introduced species and thrive in people's back yards. The house spar- row, a native of Europe, hogs the birdhouses we put up in hopes of entic- ing bluebirds, wrens and other birds to them and if they can't find a suit- able bird box, they'll build their bulky nests just about anywhere. I've seen them building over busy intersections, making their nests in the hanging street lights, or they'll seek out a crevice behind a billboard, or more recently when I was in the hospital I watched one fly behind a large exhaust fan. Evidently it had found its nesting spot there. Of course, they are not raising any young now, but like many birds they'll use these nest- ing sites to sleep in and keep out of the weather. Then there are the lesser -known sparrows such as the white- crowned sparrow, the tree sparrow, the field sparrow, the fox sparrow and many others. The reason we don't see them at most feeders is that they all requir special habitats such as overgrown fields, woodland edges, hedgerows, swampy spots, etc. The sparrows I've mentioned above in more detail are usually found in the average back- yard setting. What makes feeder watching so in- teresting is that there is always that chance of seeing something new like the hawk that invaded my feeder to- day. Or the two fox sparrows that showed up for the first time in 10 years to scratch for seeds below my feeder. Or the flicker (our biggest woodpecker) that comes regularly to our suet, and then there's that little tiny brown creeper that's also found our suet and visits us each day for its ration. So keep the feeders full and take a moment to enjoy our feathered friends. They can go a long way in making your day a more pleasant one and then again, you just might be the person who puts out the feed and saves a life of one of our back -yard birds.