Sometimes I wonder, now that I've let the world in on my "Quality Day" game, if I'll be able to find something interesting enough for you, my readers. And I've also developed a slight sense of guilt when my entries aren't on nature topics. Yesterday, for example. So, today, I was especially eager to have an outdoor themed entry. And as Maggie and I walked over to the son's trailer (to fix that door latch), guess what we found? It's perfect... here you go...
Edited Sept 2009 I've decided that I called this whole thing wrong. I think what we have here is a crow walking around and then taking off. As it lifted off its wings brushed the snow. I've left the original post so that we can all learn from my mistake.
So here is Maggie checking out a spot that smells interesting. Fortunately, I was able to picture it before she messed it up. Can you see what happened?
The mouse was running over the top of the snow. But the trail ends abruptly. Why? Look closely on each side of the tracks. See the "scratches?" Those are the marks made by the wing tips of some large bird that swooped down and caught dinner. It could be an owl, but I've seen owl marks and they are larger, so I think this is a hawk.
Like some of the other stories in the snow that I've shared, a sad story for the mouse, but a happy one for the predator.
5 comments:
Oh, sad. I've got a beastly hawk that is terrorizing my feeder this winter. It is so sad to see him swoop down and grab a poor little bird and then pick off it's feathers in clumps. I know, it's nature, but I'm starting to hate that hawk.
Great analysis of the tracks! I wouldn't know anything about how to tell what happened there, yet. I also understand the anxiety about getting regular nature posts up. Sometimes it gets difficult, but then I remember a few nature things that I did and everything is okay.:)
Hi Lin- Sorry I made you sad, but I just love my resident hawk- a redtail. And it has to eat too. We don't get to keep just the animals we like without all the checks and balances. I know you know that!
Ratty- the issue for me is that the premise of this blog is to share something of the current day... unless I'm still being cheered by a thought of something from a previous day. So, I have lots of stuff, but I have to decide if I'm going to let the blog evolve or hold it to its original purpose. And as I type I'm contemplating what picture to use for today. We'll see.
It is really very excited to meet the opportunity of this type and to do whatever analysis and explaination we would like to. That's the inspiration......
Thanks rainfield! I'll keep hunting for these "stories." I love to figure them out.
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