Tammie Rogers
Inspired by Dogs & Nature
So That Just Happened
When Robert and I moved to our current property, we didn’t realize that life circumstances would soon throw a wrench into our plans. It meant that our tiny, 800 square feet house would also become the home-base for three different businesses, two of which required sharing our home with client dogs and their hairy blankets which we had to wash in our personal laundry. It was a tight, and often messy squeeze that sometimes felt as if it was sucking the life out of me.
By the time that fifteen years had passed, I had planned, reviewed and reworked the design for a new home many times over. Existing “virtually” within the home design app was my therapy. It helped me deal with the stress of our challenging living situation. I’m sure even Robert may not have thought we could pull it off. But, I believed we could, so we did.
I recall the day when Robert and I were standing in the middle of a twenty acre hay field at the exact spot where we were to build our new home. I gazed in all directions and pressed a wooden stake into the soil which Robert then secured with a few swings of a hammer. That marker defined the southeast corner of the house, which was where my office would exist. It was an important spot. For fifteen years I had faced the corner of a 10×8 foot room that was not only the only other “bedroom” of our little house, but it was where we operated our businesses including all the “stuff” that they required.
As I had hoped for so long, the desk of my new office would face the wide French doors which allowed light and bird songs and promises to pass through the glass. Those doors faced my favorite area on our property; an island of exceedingly tall Ponderosa Pine trees just north of the pond.
Today, my decision to allow my sight to move past the computer screen and out those doors offered up something very special. At a bit after 4:00 PM, my eyes were drawn to movement. It was a large hawk . I kept my gaze upon it and was excited when it landed near the top of the pines. I hoped that the large hawk would remain still until I grabbed my camera and made it to the doors.
I had to snatch the SD card out of the computer, grab a newly recharged battery and install them both into the camera. Then, I made my way to the doors. I knew better than to open them. Even though that bird was over 500 feet away, hawks can spot a tiny mouse moving through grass as it flies overhead. I would have to film through the glass to avoid spooking the bird.
It was very drab and overcast. The third leg of the tripod wasn’t coming down, so I decided to just let the camera balance on two, rather than miss the chance to capture at least one good enough photo that would help me identify the hawk. This wasn’t going to be a National Geographic worthy image.
Just as I was focused and snapping off a few shots, a second hawk flew into the frame. Holly cow! How could I be so lucky? Of course, I would have to get at least one decent photo to consider myself fortunate. When it came back after the first fly-by, I could tell that the smaller hawk was mobbing the larger, stationary bird. There were four “fly-by” events in total. Things happened so quickly that I truly didn’t know if I caught even one image with the second bird in the frame.
Please realize that it was after 4:00 PM on a very drab, overcast day. I was filming from 500+ feet away through glass, on a dysfunctional tripod which I I was having to steer into position with my shaky grasp.
Even though it’s a very blurry image, the stationary bird handed me his calling card when he flashed his amazing red tail feathers. It was a Red-tailed Hawk. I have not seen one on our property for two years. So, spotting that bird was a good catch for me.
I was lucky. I caught both birds in the same frame six times.
These comprise three of the four total “fly-by” events that were separated by less than a minute, each.
The Red-tailed Hawk seemed disinterested in the smaller bird’s antics.
I was excited to see the large, white band at the base of the smaller bird’s tail feathers. I figured that was going to help me identify him. I was also happy to have a glimpse of the birds face. It was owl like in structure which turned out to be a big clue, as well.
I did a search for “hawk with a white band at base of tail.” When the Northern Harrier showed up, I did a bit more digging and then asked the folks on my FaceBook birding group to confirm my suspicions. The offending bird was a male Northern Harrier. The species is the most owl-like hawk, as it uses its sense of hearing to catch prey, and the conformation of it facial feathers helps direct sound to its ears.
I have never seen a Harrier, so I’m super excited for the catch. This will become bird #115 on the Birds In Our Backyard page.
Now, if I am truly lucky, I will see the birds again and be fortunate to snatch great images of both of them. I can always hope.
Oh my, hawks may dip and mostly fake fly by other species. Just to show they are nearby. Harriers are known to do it many times, but most species of hawks and falcons display this behavior.