It would be nice to think that nature is full of gentle, fluffy creatures who get along in perfect harmony.
Of course, that is not the case and this was brought home to me today as I witnessed a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk (obviously well taught by the parents) devouring a luckless House Sparrow.
Juveniles have thin dark streaks. Here is an adult.
MYSTERY BIRD
I will identify it at the end of the post.
This morning was my first visit to the Don Mills Trail which runs from York Mills to just north of Eglinton a little east of Leslie. The city built the trail on the roadbed of a former railway line, known as the Leaside Spur. It opened in 2016.
I seldom see rats, but here is one that was by a garbage bin. They are remarkably adept at staying out of sight considering that urban areas are said to have one rat for every five people.
Some botany:
MYSTERY BIRD
If you have a feeder, you may be graced with the presence of one of these little beauties: a Red-breasted Nuthatch.
NATURE POETRY
In spring of youth it was my lot
To haunt of the wide world a spot
The which I could not love the less-
So lovely was the loneliness
Of a wild lake, with black rock bound,
And the tall pines that towered around. – Edgar Allan Poe
Miles Hearn
stunning Cooper’s Hawk photos!
Extraordinary shots of the juvenile Cooper’s hawk with prey! Bravo!
I got the Nuthatch part of it!
Yes, how right you are. As romantic as I am in my love of nature’s beauty, I have to remind myself, often, that Nature is indeed “red in tooth and claw”, and that this magnificent juvenile Cooper’s Hawk has to eat, and it isn’t a vegetarian! All the same, I am glad the poor House Sparrow seems to be “safely dead” in these great pictures. Thanks, Miles!