Thursday 4 November 2010

Nature tooth and claw


A murder has been committed just outside my kitchen window. A sparrow hawk brought down a plump pigeon, as large as itself, and jumped repeatedly on the body with its sharp claws until all fluttering ceased. After finishing the deed with its beak, causing feathers to fly, the hawk picked up its victim and flew effortlessly away.


Inspector Maisie went out to view the scene of the crime.


Then she retreated to the safety of her basket, concerned that I might think her the guilty party. (It has been known!)

9 comments:

  1. Nature at it's most deadly, and yet beautiful and graceful. as for innocent Maisie, the white teddy is looking a bit like the pigeon, I think she may have killed it! Take care.

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  2. hi rosemary,

    i saw this post yesterday but did not have the time to comment.

    did i tell you this story? well i can't remember so here it goes again...

    in our old home i was in the garden very early before anyone was awake and quitely kneeling down and pulling a few weeds when a loud squawking noise came from above. the next second a dead rabbit dropped from above right next to me. a huge red-tailed hawk was in the tree above me and i was in the wrong place at the wrong time. to say i was startled is putting it lightly. it scared the dickens out
    of me. i ran inside and the hawk swooped down and got his rabbit and proceeded to eat it.

    what a lovely way to start the day!



    ~janet

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  3. Maisie is adorable, talking of feathers one of the villagers rang the doorbell this morning, as I was not dressed I did not answer, it only means one thing when this particular neighbour rings the doorbell, Crusoe has been chicken rustling again! He is now under house arrest and looking very sheepish.

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  4. Janet did you send me an e mail a while back? If it was you, many apologies for not responding, we were away at the time and using MG's laptop I did read it but MG deleted it before I had a chance to respond.

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  5. Gary - Maisie 'kills' her white toy most evenings around six for about ten minutes and then puts it gently back in her basket!
    Dash - Welcome! If you look at my September posting, 'in the greenhouse' you'll see that not only Maisie but also her predecessor, Bella, share Crusoe's desire to chicken rustle. That's the joy of smooths - so beautiful and so bad!
    Dear Janet - did you tiptoe about for the rest of the day?

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  6. Must keep an eye on the chickens, would a sparrow hawk take one of them i wonder?
    I know how maisie likes to patrol and inspect her garden, she wouldnt let me inspect the building work last week!!

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  7. We get the same spectacle out side our window often - right in the middle of town. Grimly fascinating, isn't it?

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  8. Maisie, a girl after my own heart. We have Hawaiian Hawks here, they love to rob nests...we call them 'Io (ee-oo)

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  9. Dear Connie, It's so wet and cold here that I'm dreaming of the weather in Hawaii!

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