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Post by deb&tony on Feb 19, 2007 13:08:31 GMT -8
While cleaning up the backyard garden Saturday, I heard the tell-tale call of a hawk that had captured a hairy-woodpecker and its subsequent call of distress -not 5 m. away!
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Post by Gord on Feb 20, 2007 9:16:54 GMT -8
Hi Deb! Glad to hear he got away! Ive seen a flicker fight off a hawk once so maybe the big, strong billed birds do beat the odds. Ive been pecked by a downy woodpecker before. It hurts!!
I have no patience for cats roaming at large. In my opinion, they should be housepets as they kill a LOT of small birds and mammals. I admit I also have a difficult time watching the birds I feed get caught by hawks. I came to accept that the little hawks have to eat too and are natural (over the neighbor's cat...grrr) I did notice that the hawks would catch the sick birds first over the healthy ones. Probably a good thing to remove the sick bird before it infects others. Probably the closest to a win-win situation in the harsh world of wildlife. During the time when the pine siskens were sick with samonella my little hawk seemed to eat them exclusively. I wonder if that and my cleaning of my feeding area helped stop it or at least slow it down.
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Post by tmanson on Feb 20, 2007 13:45:22 GMT -8
Hi Gord/Deb: Thanks Deb for sharing your recounting of the hawk/woodpecker incident, and to you, Gord, for your response.
I know Deb has a much longer story to share about her relationship with the woodpckers of her section of Hope, and maybe, we will hear more about that one day on this site. Deb's experiences remind me very much of the the story of the Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, which I read this winter; ( if anyone wants to borrow this book, let me know, and I will find a way to get it to you ).
It is always a tough call to know what to do under these circumstances, and as Gord says, the hawk has to eat too. However, I think it is important for people to know that Deb has a lot invested in the well being of her local woodpecker population, and I congratulate her for her efforts. I look forward to her further contributions to this site, especially as they relate to the birdlife of the excellent local environment in which she lives. Cheers, Thor
Thor Manson
Hope, B.C.
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Post by Gord on Feb 27, 2007 13:31:25 GMT -8
Deb, Im curious about the little male hairy woodpecker. I hope he's doing well considering his ordeal! I expect he is ok as it seems when they get injured they either never snap out of it or if they do, they do fine. I used to band the little birds that hit my window when I was a boy with little pieces of cocktail straws. I would see the ones that got up and flew away (Id put them in a box until they recovered) for weeks and even sometimes the following winter.
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Post by deb&tony on Mar 1, 2007 20:22:30 GMT -8
Yes, thanks Gord, the male hairy is fine as I see him every day for a cashew feeding. He's paired up with his mate from last year. This guy inherited the property from his father who also had a mishap with a hawk and, unfortunately, lost the use of his right wing and eye.
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Post by raven01 on Mar 2, 2007 15:08:09 GMT -8
Deb-
So glad to hear your little guy made it. I know how much he means to you!
Gord would appreciate the background story about the woodpecker as he has had similar experiences.
We've also had a Sharp-shinned Hawk hanging around lately, terrorizing the bird feeders. Haven't seen him be successful... yet!
There is a Brown Creeper picking at crumbs of suet and we have finally seen some House Finches at the feeder.
Anyone else noticed a shortage of House Finches??
Being home with Anika has given me a new appreciation for bird feeding (especially since Jason gets up every morning to fill them)! It's been great having all the birds to watch and Anika is fascinated by them. Looking forward to getting outside more to take her birding!
It's snowing again up here in Ryder Lake. Good grief, I thought spring was nearly here.
Adrienne
(Wild Bird Habitat)
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Post by deb&tony on May 23, 2007 13:10:32 GMT -8
Well, he has at least two sons who fledged 2 days ago and the female Hairy is looking after them with the help of regular visits to the suet and cashews I have placed on a 2nd story window ledge just for our regulars. She may have two more nestlings about to fledge. Whether she can continue to rear them by herself is the question and I haven't been able to find any documentation on that.
Our male Hairy hasn't been seen in three days, up until then we were seeing/ feeding him a dozen+ times a day so it doesn't look good. I'm guessing it was a raptor as I've come across signs in the area where birds have been plucked. Hope the little guys make it...
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