Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Both the video and the photo make me think now this is a juvenile Sharp-Shinned Hawk. Breast streaking through the belly and the call on the video. I'm no expert though. Anyway, same threat, just smaller. If this is really close to 15" head to tail tip (seemed smaller than that to me on the video) it's a big female.

They along with Cooper's are common predators near feeders or anywhere that would attract small and medium-sized birds and mice, chipmunks, snakes, lizards. Perching and very fast close-flying chase is the hunting style. They don't need height to get speed like a soaring, dive-bombing bird, the wing shape enables quick acceleration and quick maneuvers in small spaces.

Beautiful mug shot, and I can't blame her for being hungry, but I hate that she killed Sylvie (and I wonder about Legertha frankly, a near miss causing a bump on the head in her escape to shelter?) This hawk is more a threat to Phyllis than the larger girls in the tribe, but I wouldn't put anything past her, especially a young and inexperienced but hungry hunter, where she might seriously injure someone in an attempt on them.

OK I know you said no advice but here it is - be sure you close any coop run doors after you when you are going in or out. This is a bird that will happily hunt in the shadows and small openings of a canopied woods.

Everything is locked and no one is getting out until I do something about that hawk. I have no Jabberwocky or even Patsy here to deal with it. Until I can remove it or get it to move on, no one is getting out of the complex. Ever.

 

[BY Bob]

Nope, even clueless ex batts will either crouch and freeze or try to escape.

They are not that "clueless".

Did someone say clues?

 

[Blazinga]

Two Two for Tuesday

Cracked two eggs open for lunch. Rime's 50gm'er was a double yolker.

 

[MaryJanet]

BLANCHE IS GONE
My best girl Blanche didn’t return from foraging on Saturday evening.
I knew right away it was bad news as she never does that. I took the dogs and searched our whole property but not a sign.
There were no particular tell-tale feathers I could discern, either, especially since all three white birds have been molting and the coop, run, and backyard area are littered with white feathers.
I can’t even describe my emotional state of mind.View attachment 2921002View attachment 2921003View attachment 2921012View attachment 2921013

So sorry!

 

[Ribh]

BLANCHE IS GONE
My best girl Blanche didn’t return from foraging on Saturday evening.
I knew right away it was bad news as she never does that. I took the dogs and searched our whole property but not a sign.
There were no particular tell-tale feathers I could discern, either, especially since all three white birds have been molting and the coop, run, and backyard area are littered with white feathers.
I can’t even describe my emotional state of mind.View attachment 2921002View attachment 2921003View attachment 2921012View attachment 2921013

So sorry, Kat.

 

[Blazinga]

Are you suggesting Katydid be her Watson? I will need a good headshot for that.

Maybe understudy is the better term. In the case that Aurora calls in sick.

 

[Sally PB]

SHOCKING! Are you suggesting that a video on the internet might not actually be showing us reality! HEAVEN FORBID!

Everything you read on the internet is true.
--A. Lincoln

Seen on a t-shirt in a catalog.

 

[MaryJanet]

Everything you read on the internet is true.
--A. Lincoln

Seen on a t-shirt in a catalog.

Wait a sec.... are you trying to say Aurora and Katydid are not real detectives??

Because I tell you, I would not want those ladies on my case!

 

[BY Bob]

I did wonder about all that climbing. The only really close encounter I have had with a hawk here was when I was walking through a part of the woods and there was a loud thud to my right and I saw a hawk rising (with difficulty) from the ground with a rabbit. I think the hawk had been high up and the thud was it dive bombing the rabbit - like a cannon ball dropped from on high.
Very different from Bob's nasty.

That was likely the Red Tailed Hawk. They hunt by diving from high and will kill full grown rabbits. That is what I have always dealt with until now and why the tribe and I both thought we had this hawk thing covered with, well, cover.

 

[BY Bob]

Here is my 2 for Tuesday (Holiday Edition)

Kiko & Gizmo
View attachment 2921183
I took this photo of them back in September for this years Christmas Card. They look a lot more grown up now!

Here's how the Christmas Card turned out: View attachment 2921186
I wonder if my family will think that I'm a "crazy chicken lady" for sending out Christmas cards of the chooks

I am certain they would never think such a thing. Otherwise how could I do this?