We interrupt your regularly scheduled program to bring you this TDB fast breaking news story. I'm your observant doggie reporter and Special Agent Chester L. W. Spaniel live and on location in the back yard.
I found lots of birdie feathers on the ground under the silver maple tree this afternoon. That can only mean one thing: Something caught a bird and ate it right in my own backyard!
NO, I did not catch and eat the birdie! It must have been a hawk. Here's the evidence:
Some of the feathers have light orange tips with spots. I'm pretty sure the victim could have been that baby robin I saw the other day. Here's a picture of a baby robin from earlier this season for comparison. Note the speckled orange breast feathers.
I did an extensive search of the crime scene, but did not find any other birdie parts on the lawn.
I did, however, spot some big clumps of feathers on a silver maple branch too high up to get a good picture. As soon as we get a bit of wind, though, I'm sure those will fall down and I can examine them.
This isn't the first time I've found this type of evidence in our yard. Here's a picture of me with my esteemed, late colleague Special Agent Joseph (Joey dog) Spaniel on a crime scene from a couple years ago.
There's been a Cooper's hawk sneaking around the neighborhood for the last few years. The victims are usually hapless robins or mourning doves.
This isn't the first time I've found this type of evidence in our yard. Here's a picture of me with my esteemed, late colleague Special Agent Joseph (Joey dog) Spaniel on a crime scene from a couple years ago.
There's been a Cooper's hawk sneaking around the neighborhood for the last few years. The victims are usually hapless robins or mourning doves.
Too bad it wasn't a squirrel or a chipmunk!
We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.
We get hawks around here too. mom keeps a close eye on us if one his circling over head. Just in case he thinks we might look like a snack
ReplyDeletehugs
Hazel & Mabel
Oh boys. Yes, I have seen crime scenes like that around here too! If it happens in my yardie, it's usually in the front yardie, too many canopies in the backyard for any good hunting. I will bow my head in a moment of silence for the sweet burdie....
ReplyDeleteOMD, FABulous Subaru commercial! Haven't seen that one yet! Um....does that kitteh looks like Madi????????? ☺
Kisses,
Ruby ♥
We have tons of hawks here - a neighbor even saw one pick up a mini-daschund!
ReplyDeletePoor little birdie. Not long ago, I found a mound of feathers that looked just like yours, Chester. I wonder if hawks like woodchucks? hummmmmmm
ReplyDeleteSomeone has to report the sad news, C. Good job. Is it wrong that I'm happy the killer wasn't you? Hawks are killing machines. Maybe you should bulk up on some extra treats so it won't come after you... lots and lots and lots of extra treats. Can't be too careful, right?
ReplyDeleteLove and licks,
Cupcake
It's too bad for that little birdie but, of course, the hawks have to eat too.
ReplyDeleteWhen we lived in the little cottage in the country side, I found dead mice quite regularly. Thanks to a certain Miss O who was great at catching them, but not so great at eating them! And we found a dead baby magpie once. But that was not Miss O's fault.
ReplyDeleteJust wondering about the archaeological dig? Did you find what you were looking for, or were you banned?
Mara from Norway
PS: a shout out to your Oma!
Chester poor birdie indeed. OMCs we are sorry but we suspect your report is 100% correct.
ReplyDeleteOnce many many many years ago mom was walking thru a courtyard back to her office.....out of no where a squirrel drop smack at mom's paws from a clearing in the trees. There were hawks around that area too. Mom is purrty sure a juvenile hawk was trying to land on a limb but didn't have his landing perfected so he dropped the squirrel who was alive. That squirrel ran like the wind to the next county probably
Hugs madi your bfff
While we are sad to hear about the bird, we are mostly sad you didn't get it. (The circle of life can be sad).
ReplyDeleteThat's good reporting, Chester! And good detective work!
ReplyDeleteUt oh . . . we are glad you are innocent!
ReplyDeleteYour Pals,
Murphy & Stanley
We have had a cat hiding out in our treehouse and Mom found a bird wing on the ground. UGH! We agree they should be catching squirrels or moles. haha! We had to share the Subaru commercial. They are our favorites.
ReplyDeleteWe find the same thing in our yard. hate to find them because that means we lost a friend. Sometimes we find bird embroyos too. Those are the worse.
ReplyDeleteHi hi hi! Ojo here! Who could it be? Who took the bird?? Did your nose tell you? Or was it that hawk that flew away??
ReplyDeleteWhen there is a hawk around these parts, all the birds disappear for a good long while, as do those pesky marauding rodents...
ReplyDeletePoor birdie, but I guess the hawk has to eat too. Good thing you are too big for the hawk, Chester!
ReplyDelete