Nature is waking up all around me. I saw this bird on the fence bordering the alley out front. It looks like a hawk, but it wasn’t very big. Does anyone recognize this bird?
It has been rainy here lately, giving the plants a spring boost. The hostas are an inch or so tall. Sedums are aplenty. I’m still waiting to identify other seedlings that are coming up.
I’ve been out on the patio moving pots around. I’ll think I have them arranged just how I want them. Then while I’m standing inside at the patio door looking out I will change my mind.
I like to have groupings of pots that are gathered together be varied in height, so I’ll go out and raise the empty pots with bricks. I like to get them situated before I fill them with dirt and plants, which will be in a few short weeks.
There was about 10 minutes of hail pelting the patio, as you can see above. The dogs didn’t know what it was and kept barking at it.
Every morning the male cardinal sings me awake. I wonder if he is singing to his female counterpart. Such a sweet melody he sings.
The sparrows out front are quite busy in the shrubs under my front window. It is continuous chirping as they hop around out there. Sometimes I see fluff in their beaks and I know they are busy building nests.
The tree that hangs over my patio is all greened up. I imagine it will be full of white buds and blooming soon, letting loose its potent perfume.
I find it amusing that I live in the middle of a big city and yet I don’t ever recall having such plentiful nature all around me. A slice of heaven it truly is.
And of course there are the silly squirrels taunting Charlie from the patio.
Between the squirrels and the birds, Charlie and I have daily entertainment. Abi isn’t very interested in our patio visitors.
To each their own.
The birdsong around my house is spectacular these days, it makes me smile every time I walk outside the door. I look forward to the days when I can open the windows and hear it from indoors as well!
A wildlife oasis!
Brenda, without the white band on the bottom tail feathers it could be a sharp-shinned hawk. Be careful of your little ones. Jean
Hmmmm. Changed my mind about your hawk being a Cooper’s hawk. I think it’s a sharp-shinned hawk because they have those large golden eyes. Cooper’s hawks photos that I just looked at online all have dark black eyes.
Hi Brenda, I think it’s a Cooper’s Hawk too. I looked in my bird book and found a drawing of one, and the territory is pretty much most of the continental US. They are described as: 15-20 in. long. Similar to sharp-shinned hawk but larger. Wings rounded, tail long and rounded. Adult dark blue-grey, white barred with rusty below. Food is chiefly small mammals and birds. I’ve seen them go after squirrels in my yard, and occasionally find the remains of an unfortunate bird who didn’t make it to safety in the arborvitaes on time. That’s a fabulous photo of the bird, by the way!
Ah…. Spell check!……”such a sweet slice of heaven!”
What a great post! Love everything about it!! Looking forward to seeing everything come up in your pots….. Yes, such a sweet alive of heaven! Birds, buds and soon-to-be blossoms.
The hail was a bit odd…hope you don’t get much more of that!
Your patio is coming around nicely. Can’t wait to see it with all the plants.
I can’t tell how big this hawk is. If it is very small it may be a sparrow hawk, or if bigger a coopers hawk. Your other birds will be on the lookout for it.
I believe I am remembering a time when you first moved there that you wondered why there weren’t more types of birds coming to your bird bath. You sure have a wide variety now. It’s a little paradise for all of them now, with all of your plants and cute watering spots for them. I guess it’s true, “If you build it, they will come”.
Brenda in these parts we’d call him a chicken hawk ( southwestern PA )
That looks like a coopers hawk to me. We often have hawks, fox, deer, coyote, wild turkeys and today, a pair of canada geese out in the field behind the house. I love them all, except when they try to eat one of my chickens.
Do you take the dogs out on walks in your neighborhood or in a nearby park? What do they think of other dogs and critters they come across?
It’s hard to say without knowing how big the bird is–if it’s very small, it could be a Merlin. I love the wildlife that comes to visit too. So far, we’ve had raccoons, bunnies, deer, a bear!, squirrels, chipmunks, and lots and lots of different birds including hawks and a bald eagle right up in our tree. (….but no cardinals) I know your garden is going to look beautiful.
I think that’s a Cooper’s hawk. Sometimes you see them hanging out near bird feeders where other birds congregate. They prey on smaller birds.
I think it’s great that there is so much wildlife around you. It’s as it should be. We shouldn’t push out all other living things. My parents’ house was near a wooded park, and deer–even bucks with big antlers–would venture out to a vacant lot a couple doors down. They would eat the grass and watch us warily. Of course, we loved watching them. So majestic.