skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Attack!
Dave S. clued me in to a sort of new area of beaver activity along the path in the south end of the park which leads out to the Orchard Rd./Parker Rd. intersection. Today I went to check the area out, and indeed there were several downed trees, some in close proximity to the path. I had walked past the area where there was standing water and entered the creek bed to look for more. I hadn't gone more that 10 yards when I heard a rapid-fire caw-caw-caw-caw, then heard wings beating, flashing past my head. I followed the bird to its landing and recognized it as a hawk. (Later, using a birds of Colorado book, I came to believe it was a Northern Harrier.) Looking up I saw a very twiggy nest eight feet over my head. More calling from the same place as before and another bird took a shot at me. It landed and the first bird dived at me again. Not wanting to disturb them any more than I already had and not wanting to actually be hit, I made my way back to the path where one of the birds continued to harass me, ignoring other path users. The attacks stopped when I was 30 yards up the path.
I was fortunate to catch the bird at all in this shot.
Dave S. clued me in to a sort of new area of beaver activity along the path in the south end of the park which leads out to the Orchard Rd./Parker Rd. intersection. Today I went to check the area out, and indeed there were several downed trees, some in close proximity to the path. I had walked past the area where there was standing water and entered the creek bed to look for more. I hadn't gone more that 10 yards when I heard a rapid-fire caw-caw-caw-caw, then heard wings beating, flashing past my head. I followed the bird to its landing and recognized it as a hawk. (Later, using a birds of Colorado book, I came to believe it was a Northern Harrier.) Looking up I saw a very twiggy nest eight feet over my head. More calling from the same place as before and another bird took a shot at me. It landed and the first bird dived at me again. Not wanting to disturb them any more than I already had and not wanting to actually be hit, I made my way back to the path where one of the birds continued to harass me, ignoring other path users. The attacks stopped when I was 30 yards up the path.
I was fortunate to catch the bird at all in this shot.
1 comment:
I remember for several years, during a time that I lived close enough to work that I would walk there; in the springtime I would be attacked by a pair Black Birds every morning. They had a nest in a tree just about 8 feet from the sidewalk at the H. S. Crocker building. And even though I wore the same hat and backpack I would be attacked every morning. They would howler (caw . .caw . . caw) at me and attack from the back, to the point of hitting my hat and once or twice knocking it off. They nested in that tree for 3 to 4 years. kI always thought it was kind’a cool having them molest me because I was part of their world as they were part of mine.
Post a Comment