Hawks above the pond
 

It's been cold here in northern Florida, well, much colder than what
we're used to, anyway. I've haven't spent much time doing things, but
I have been watching the pond. Problem is, when it gets this cold,
there isn't much moving around the pond. So one night I get out this
bird identification book that I have and get this brilliant idea to
put out a bird feeder and then I'll have birds to watch. To make a
long story shorter the next day I'm out pounding a pole in the ground
and setting up this bird feeder between the pond and the window of my
cabin, pretty much out in the open by itself.

Previously I had looked up many times to see birds lazily circling
above the pond. I hadn't given them much thought, but had just
assumed they were vultures, we have a *lot* of vultures. Turns out
these birds are hawks, big hawks, and a lot of them circle the pond
from time to time. I went on to read that among the things that they
hunt are little birds.

This didn't begin to really dawn on me until I began to wonder why I
didn't attract many birds and the few that would come would scatter
whenever a shadow passed overhead. It's one of those things I just
didn't think through (although in my defense, it's not quite as
obvious as chaining a cat to a bird feeder or something like that).
The thing is, anywhere I move the bird feeder into cover, I can't see
it, which kind of defeats the whole purpose of the bird feeder (it's
for my entertainment, not the bird's sustenance, I'll bet they do OK
without me).
..

Hawks above the pond
 

Each fall I place 2 X 4s, elevated on milk crates, across the width and
length of the pond and then drape bird netting across them to keep the
leaves out. Usually I remove this after all the leaves have fallen but
sometimes I've taken my time in dismantling this contraption. A couple of
years back, in the dead of winter, we looked out at the pond to see a
Red-Shoulder Hawk perched on the 2 X 4 bracing staring down onto the fish in
the pond below. The hawk sat there for almost an hour. I've taken to leaving
the netting up throughout the winter now; not because of a hawk but two GBH
that have taken to visiting and, in at least one case, been successful in
grasping one of my fish killing it but not being able to pull it through the
netting.

We have a couple of bird feeders suspended from trees right outside the
living room window. We enjoy watching the birds feed. Over the years we've
had multiple occasions where a hawk has made a diving attack at the birds on
the feeder sending them scurrying in all directions (oftentimes to slam to
their death into the windows) and sometimes with a successful grab of an
unfortunate bird.

c'est la vie

JB

"Galen Hekhuis" wrote in message
...
It's been cold here in northern Florida, well, much colder than what
we're used to, anyway. I've haven't spent much time doing things, but
I have been watching the pond. Problem is, when it gets this cold,
there isn't much moving around the pond. So one night I get out this
bird identification book that I have and get this brilliant idea to
put out a bird feeder and then I'll have birds to watch. To make a
long story shorter the next day I'm out pounding a pole in the ground
and setting up this bird feeder between the pond and the window of my
cabin, pretty much out in the open by itself.

Previously I had looked up many times to see birds lazily circling
above the pond. I hadn't given them much thought, but had just
assumed they were vultures, we have a *lot* of vultures. Turns out
these birds are hawks, big hawks, and a lot of them circle the pond
from time to time. I went on to read that among the things that they
hunt are little birds.

This didn't begin to really dawn on me until I began to wonder why I
didn't attract many birds and the few that would come would scatter
whenever a shadow passed overhead. It's one of those things I just
didn't think through (although in my defense, it's not quite as
obvious as chaining a cat to a bird feeder or something like that).
The thing is, anywhere I move the bird feeder into cover, I can't see
it, which kind of defeats the whole purpose of the bird feeder (it's
for my entertainment, not the bird's sustenance, I'll bet they do OK
without me).
.

Hawks above the pond
 

On Sat, 9 Jan 2010 21:01:52 EST, "JB" wrote:


We have a couple of bird feeders suspended from trees right outside the
living room window. We enjoy watching the birds feed. Over the years we've
had multiple occasions where a hawk has made a diving attack at the birds on
the feeder sending them scurrying in all directions (oftentimes to slam to
their death into the windows) and sometimes with a successful grab of an
unfortunate bird.

Around here, when the hawks visit the bird feeders... well, we call that
"advanced" bird feeding.

Use to be we had more cover, but now the feeders are more exposed because
we took down some big trees. Interestingly the little birds seem to have a
better view of their surrounding and scatter faster. The hawk now perches
in one of the trees over looking the thick hedge at the edge of the yard
and periodically tries a dive into it. I haven't witness it get lucky yet,
but it must now and again since I see it about every other week.
~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

Hawks above the pond
 

Could you move the feeder closer to trees and still see it well?

Our feeders are about 6' from the kitchen window, under trees. They
get fed heavily.

The birds move all over the yard, especially liking the garden. The
bluebirds sit on the zip line. We do have hawks and the birds do
scatter when the hawks come over or call from a tree. They seem not
to be spooked into not coming to the yard by it, however.

I wonder if your birds will get uswed to the feeders and take the
risk. I suppose the more they do that, the more hawks will visit.

Jim

Hawks above the pond
 

On Wed, 13 Jan 2010 07:42:29 EST, Phyllis and Jim
wrote:

Could you move the feeder closer to trees and still see it well?

I would be 40' or more from the nearest window... not to mention accessing
it to fill. The birds come and they can always duck under the deck, behind
the lattice and out to the front yard trees. I think without the trees they
can see the hawks coming better. ~ jan


------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us