Date:         Sun, 28 Dec 2003 16:17:28 +0000
Reply-To:     Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         Carrol Cowan <arielamc@ATT.NET>
Subject:      Re: from the kitchen window

Steve,

I always enjoy your posts, but this one is special!  You sure you want to put your writing out in the public domain before getting it copyrighted?

--
Carrol Cowan
Washington DC
> The crows call me to the kitchen window as my coffee brews.  An alarm 
> from them always means somethign interesting is about to happen:
>
> A female sharpshin rises from her glide through the drainage ditch 
> along the road.  The crows long ago drove off any of the sparrows or 
> larks she normally may have surprised as she popped up into sight. Not 
> that a kill would have been certain, but if she can find food on the 
> way to the hunting grounds the day will be a good one.
>
> She takes a perch in a small osage along the fence.  Bad luck again as 
> the daily barn cleaning has fouled the creek.  To bathe herself or 
> catch a bather unaware I'll never know.  But everyone avoids the 
> tainted milky-gray waters.
>
> A feral cat prowls the driveway and the feeder is empty of food 
> because of her; it's elevated location and hopper full of seed not 
> enough incentive to risk the cat on this warm December morning.
>
> The small hawk wags her tail and bobs her head.  A small pellet drops 
> into the stream below. She ate last night!
>
> She turns and surveys the field.  An occassional crow tries to show 
> off its bravery by attemping to dive at her.  The choice of osage is 
> now apparent.  No crow can penetrate that dense thicket with its wings 
> open.  And no crow wants to walk up to even a small hawk.
>
> She wags again and launches towards the open field.  The crows swarm 
> her, but she loses herself in the roiling mass.  The swirling black 
> ball continues, but she's now using it for cover, and flying safely 
> above and to its side.
>
> Then she folds her wings and is off like a rocket towards the barns.  
> A flock of birds, starlings?, explodes from somewhere, rising above 
> the silos in a well synchronized maneuver. A white flash from below 
> and a dart pierces the round black target.  Wide wings flare in the 
> bullseye and I see the larger bird glide back towards earth.  Whether 
> her feet clutched only tail feathers or a hearbeat about to become one 
> with her own I do not know.
>
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