Close Encounters

Even though I include lots of pictures of nature on my blog we don't live in the country. We live in a fairly busy part of town, not far from a main highway. I am constantly amazed with the amount of wildlife we see here. I suppose that with the development of subdivisions in their natural habitat they have to adjust and find new living quarters. This is a benefit for people like me who love watching them.

One thing I would have never expected to see, at least not up close, was a large bird of prey. A while back my husband and son returned from the store to find a young Coopers Hawk sitting on our front steps rail. My son grabbed this picture of it. Sorry it is a little grainy.

It was very exciting to see this majestic bird up close. It was an impressive sight when he took off. He spread those powerful wings and took off like a rocket. Undoubtedly after some unlucky prey.

I assumed that seeing this bird was a anomaly . Yesterday I was in the backyard ,pulling a few weeds, when out of the corner of my eye I saw something move. I looked up to see a hawk (this one?) fly right by me about 3 feet off the ground. Amazing. Looks like our friend may have moved in for good.