Hawks are on the move!

[path.otto]

Last night I let the girls out at 6:30 p.m. to forage. They generally stick close to me when they are out; I'm the designated rooster, I guess. A role I was happy to play when I walked around the coop to catch a hawk just making it's dive toward Blondie, my BO. I waved my arms, jumped up and down and yelled, "Oh no you don't!". Fortunately, the hawk paid attention and landed instead in a dead tree about 50 ft. away. The girls had taken shelter as close to the run as they could. I scooped up Blondie and threw her through the run door and ran around grabbing all the others sometimes 2 at a time and got them safely in the run. When I had closed the run door I turned around to check on the hawk and it had flown away - its chance for dinner ruined.

Warning to all that the hawk migration has begun! The girls are confined for the duration as my tolerance for loss is non-existent!

 

[Trish1974]

Yes they are! I always have more problems with hawks this time of year than any other time. Unfortunately this is when my fox activity slows down and I'd like to free range more, but now I have the hawks to worry about.

 

[path.otto]

I hear coyotes but have never seen them near the house and certainly not during day, lots of other prey for them. Where you have one you seldom have the other (fox). Owls are making themselves noticed at dawn and dusk. I’m starting to hear our mating pair of Great Horned in the early morning hours. I greatly admire raptors and all of the predators and understand they are all just trying to survive; I just want to keep them separate from my girls!

 

[AudieWarren]

My "neighbors" are clearing land behind us. We have had all sorts of predator appearances . Possum, coyote, hawk, fox, and even an owl. I'm hoping to lay eyes on that coyote while in the deer stand this year. It's already gotten 2 full grown turkeys. The hawk was circling around lunch time yesterday. The owl got 2 turkey pouts and a guinea keeps about 2 months back. Predator prevention is a never ending job.

 

[path.otto]

@AudieWarren Amen!

 

[Chickassan]

I hear them in the trees ALOT now! Calling to each other. Luckily iv'e got all these crows harassing them so everyone knows they're around.

 

[llombardo]

We now have Eagles near by to add to the Hawks and owls and vultures.

 

[path.otto]

@llombardo, there was an eagle just last week up the road from us hunting from a power pole! What the heck is going on? And all of a sudden our crows have disappeared. I could count on them to warn me when hawks were hanging around. Best protection from hawks!

 

[llombardo]

@llombardo, there was an eagle just last week up the road from us hunting from a power pole! What the heck is going on? And all of a sudden our crows have disappeared. I could count on them to warn me when hawks were hanging around. Best protection from hawks!

Hmmm, now that you mention it, I have not heard any crows either. The Eagles have slowly been coming this way for a while. They used to pass through but now they are staying. I'm surprised it took this long, really. I saw some kind of vulture the other day. I couldn't tell what kind because I was driving. The Eagles are living a few blocks from my house. The airport is keeping an eye on it because they would have to shut down the area to protect the Eagles. From what I saw, it or they have made their home across from the airport. Now I am going to pay closer attention to the crow situation. I like having them around. Last year during a snow storm they(4-5 of them) actually were eating birdseed in front of my house with several birds and a squirrel. I was kind of shocked they were eating bird seed, must have been really hungry.

 

[cmom]

I have been seeing more hawks lately. Here the coyotes come out at night. They stay in their dens during the day but it is still plenty hot here, near 90 during the day