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02/05/2005 10:27:43 PM · #1 |
Have you ever wondered what a rat thinks a the very moment before his death as he sees a hawk swooping in for the kill?
Well I do...
The rat says, "OH SHIT!!!!"
How do I know this you ask? HA! Personal experiance I tell you!
Allow me to explain.
Today, I was enjoying a warm peaceful afternoon, just working on my truck in the parking lot of my apartment complex. I was standing at the rear of my vehicle digging through my toolbox when suddenly I noticed the unusual sound of bells ringing. It sounded sort of like the kind of bells you might attach to a door so you know when the door is being opened. Well I had never heard this before near my apartment. I looked around, but did not see anyone nearby leaving their apartment. Thinking it was a cat with bells on, I scanned the area, but saw nothing. I thought perhaps the cat was hiding in the bushes. So, I continued digging through my tool box in search of the wrench I needed. Moments later, I heard the bells ringing again. Only this time when I looked up I was utterly shocked to see a giant red-tailed hawk swooping down from a tree just a few feet in front of my head with his wings spread. It happened so fast, before I could jump back, it landed right in front of me on the top of my truck, about 2' feet in front of my face. He then moved a bit and looked like he was going to jump right on me (which once I found out the circumstances I think he was going to do just that). Anyway, I jumped back away from him shouting. As I did he jumped down from the top of my truck and into the tool box that was sitting in the tailgate. MY neighbors were out in the parking lot, and began to ask me what I was freaking out about. I said, "Look in the back of my truck!!!" They did and were just as shocked as me. Immediately I ran to get my camera, and began taking pictures.... They said while I was getting the camera he got into the back and nosed around a bit and nosed through my tool box as well.
After taking a few shots my dumb ass neighbor decided to put on a thin leather work glove and try to get the hawk to get on his hand. Well the hawk flew off. Notice the gloved hand to the left in the next picture...
It really was too bad it flew off. I could have gotten some great shots. After it flew off, I put some bacon on the roof of my truck and got out my hawk call. After repeated attempts to call it in, I gave up as there was no sign of it. Anyway, my guess was that since it had bells on it must have escaped from the LIving Science Center . So I ran across the street to check with them. They said no, it probably belonged to a guy that visits the park next to them. They said he goes there every day to let the hawk fly around and look for food, but that it should not have flown away as far as my place, and that they hoped we did not have any cats in my neighborhood because the hawk would get them. HA! Well I drove to the park and found the guys that owned it. They said the hawk was theirs and that it had been chased off by some wild birds and that they had been looking for it for three hours! Well I showed them where I lived and what direction it flew off in. They thanked me and told me to come by the park again and I could take some close up photos of their birds sometime (I guess they have several). Well I had originally thought the bird was interested in my truck because it smelled the dead deer that had been in my truck or the dried deer blood that I had not had a chance to clean up from my recent hunting trip. However, after meeting the birds owners I think I was wrong. The bords owner had a truck that looked exactly like mine, with a cage in the back where I had been working. I think the bird thought I was his owner and was trying to get into his cage! My guess is that it was flying overhead, saw me and dove into the tree (that was the first bell ring I heard. Then after looking closer, decided I was daddy and dove down to see me. LOL. Had I had a glove I might have even been able to pick him up. Although, even if I had a glove, I would never had tried. I told my neighbor that if the bird had jumped on his hand, it would have punctured his thin glove with it's talons, he in turn would have screamed like a baby, and the hawk would have attacked him. now that would have been funny... I don;t think I will ever forget today.. how crazy, and what fun!
Message edited by author 2005-02-05 22:30:42.
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02/05/2005 10:38:21 PM · #2 |
| Thats a great story, and some good pictures given the sit. I would have shot my nieghbor for scaring him off. But any way i would like to know if the bird ever shows up at you place or the owners. I guess just to figure out if it can find it way back. |
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02/05/2005 10:39:48 PM · #3 |
no prob. I am going to be checking in with them at them park. they said I could come and take some close up shots
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02/05/2005 10:42:42 PM · #4 |
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02/05/2005 10:45:24 PM · #5 |
Hey that is really neat. When I was a kid I had a Red Tail hawk as a pet. The photo is not so good and as for the fashion, remember this was taken in the 60s.
They are pretty dumb birds, at least mine was. He could not land well on the ground so he would land up in a tree then then cry until I climbed up and got him down.
He would land on people and he really could not tell one person from the other.
He never ate a cat but he looked at a few like he might.
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02/05/2005 10:47:04 PM · #6 |
| Why do these people own a seemingly healthy hawk in the first place? |
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02/05/2005 10:48:17 PM · #7 |
| I got ripped off. I got a gold fish at a fair once. |
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02/05/2005 10:48:47 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by Anachronite:
no prob. I am going to be checking in with them at them park. they said I could come and take some close up shots |
That sound like an awsome deal!
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02/05/2005 10:48:54 PM · #9 |
Amazing story!! Would love to hear the follow-up. Cool pics :)
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02/05/2005 10:53:32 PM · #10 |
Your photographs, coupled with your appreciation for your experience today make for an absolutely delightful story!
Thanks for sharing! That was great!!
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02/05/2005 10:54:43 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by rscorp:
Why do these people own a seemingly healthy hawk in the first place? |
I guess it's a pet? There were a few guys at the park and they all had stickers on the back of their trucks that said "Falconry".. must be a local club.. perhaps rescue society? don't know... but they let it fly free and until today had always come back... of course today wild birds chased it off... it must like living with them
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02/05/2005 11:03:21 PM · #12 |
Cool, what an awesome bird that is, and great story.
A wild hawk would NEVER fly down onto your truck like that... What I thought you were going to say is that he saw a rat or something in your toolbox, and that he grabbed it flew off.
And your neighbor is lucky the bird didn't land on his hand. He would have torn right threw that cheap glove. You have to keep your hand HIGH or else he'll grab onto your wrist or arm with those talons. :) OUCH!!!
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02/05/2005 11:13:01 PM · #13 |
great story! all but the deer part... you know you can hunt with a camera as well as a gun and enjoy photos longer than meat :o) hehe
Hope you get to go back and take some close ups!
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02/05/2005 11:20:35 PM · #14 |
| Great story, thanks for posting it and especially with the photos. I'm looking forward to hearing the follow up. |
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02/05/2005 11:21:50 PM · #15 |
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02/05/2005 11:31:11 PM · #16 |
I know some guy that was walking throught the woods with a racoon hat when a hungry eagle thought it was lunch. It just about scalped him. Too bad no camera. Great story good photos. If you get some more please post them
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02/07/2005 04:59:15 PM · #17 |
Amazing story and so glad you were able to share the photos with us...keep track on those guys so you can show us some more :)
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