Rover is back at the shelter after his surgery, wearing an e-collar as big as he is. Somehow, I don’t think he’s going to let it slow him down. I posted the update from Susan over here!
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Crooked Acres Wednesday!
A few weeks ago, Fred came home from running an errand and told me to grab the camera and come with him. Five or six houses down from us is a woman who has several horses. Their pasture comes to the road next to her house, and Fred had noticed some circle-of-life going on.
That, I believe, is a Red-Tailed Hawk (I could be wrong; if it’s something else, feel free to let me know!) He was in the process of eating a squirrel he’d caught.
He was not thrilled with our presence (I wasn’t as close to him as it looks in this picture; I cropped the picture quite a bit.)
I cropped the picture so that y’all couldn’t see the squirrel (it’s kind of gross), but for those of you who are curious and don’t have sensitive stomachs, you can see it here.
I got a little too close, and he flew off and landed in a nearby tree, where he could keep an eye on his dinner.
We have a lot of hawks around here, but luckily George and Gracie are enough to keep them at bay. When the chicks are big enough to go outside, they’ll be in a yard within the back forty, so they’ll be protected by the dogs as well.
The chicks are getting bigger and bigger.
Like kittens, they sleep a lot and eat a lot.
That guy on the far left is KILLING me. “Cannot…keep…eyes…open…”
Arnold’s getting bigger too, but he’s not growing as quickly as the others.
Arnold, 10 days old.
I love it when they drink water. They look like they’re gargling.
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Batman’s keeping his eyes out for criminals.
“I see what you’re doing. Don’t make me come over there!”
Lunk on the window platform.
Why so stressed, Lunk?
“Did I mention I’m watching you, and it’s criminal that there are no crunchies going in my mouth right now? FEED ME.”
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Lilybet is going to be spayed tomorrow.
“Who in the what, now?”
“I do not believe I care for the sound of that.”
“Wait! I think I just felt the baby kick!”
“Halp?”
Rest assured, y’all, the Royals naming theme will be used in the future. It’s such a good idea – and I love the names – that it’s got to be used!
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I push the bed back onto the desk, and somehow Spanky inches it off again so that part of the bed is hanging over the side. I’m not sure why he prefers it that way, but he certainly does.
He’s such a pretty boy.
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Previously
2012: “I not love you, lady.”
2011: No entry.
2010: Do you remember Hoyt?
2009: No entry.
2008: More glaring.
2007: Maxi through the front door.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
Have I mentioned lately Spanky is my favorite?
You have excellent taste. 🙂
So I assume you need to keep Lilybet off of food and water after midnight. How does one do that with all the critters around? At our house everyone is off of food and water until the Prisoner Transport Device is populated with the victim.
Oh, Lilybet is still in the foster room by herself, so we just put the food up when we go to bed. I’m betting that there’s going to be a lot of complaining from the foster room tonight! When a permanent resident has to be off food after midnight, no one gets food overnight. You can imagine how much they care for that!
Love the hawk pictures! My husband and I met when we were both in graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania. It’s an urban campus, but the main quad is very green and leafy, and one lovely spring day a hawk decided it would make a good spot for a picnic. S/he proceeded to pick apart a pigeon while sitting in a tree high above a bunch of humans who also thought they had found a nice spot to eat. Once the pigeon bits began raining down on them they realized that they had made a huge mistake. It was pretty entertaining to watch people flee the scene while the hawk dug in. Nature!
Also, it’s very exciting to see Kennebec’s tail again. And Lilybet’s loony face.
I came home from work one Saturday afternoon to find a hawk that had brought down a pigeon in the front yard. I need to dig up the pictures but it really was an awesome thing to see.
Hawks are really cool – we occasionally see them sitting on the electric wires in that same area down the road, so I’m thinking rodent hunting in the horse pasture must be exceptionally good.
Kelly would ordinarily make a smart-aleck comment about expecting to see a caption like “Arnold, 10 days old” in a human’s baby book and following it up with a demand that we get to keep him, BUT…
SPANKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And then she passed out from the joy.
Hee – I’m going to TRY to remember to take a picture of him every week or so so y’all can watch him grow!
Oh that Lilybet, causing all the excitement! Not to worry though, spring is right around the corner and don’t you know there’ll be LOTS of pregnant cats that really should have been spayed. I’m sure all your readers will soon have kittehs to watch grow… That hawk looks scary!
Spanky likes livin’ life on the edge!
I love Kennebec’s raccoon-ringed tail. And Lilybet has such an expressive face…(hee, hee the baby kicked – that boat has SAILED girlfriend!) I bet she doesn’t have a long wait for her forever family!
She’s really a little nut, and full of energy. When she starts playing soccer with the ping pong balls in the foster room, she sounds like a herd of elephants up there!
Red-tailed hawk (RTH) juveniles have the yellow eyes and are missing the full red tail. Mature ones have dark brown eyes plus the red tail. They also head out from their birth zone in the fall, usually heading south. Could be one from a local nest as well as any of the many born up north. 🙂 Been following the Franklin Institute RTH nest for about 5 years and have learned many things about them via a blog for the Hawkstalkers – http://sunnydixie.blogspot.com/
Eliza, I’m originally from Philly; always fun visiting the Franklin Institute.
The FI has been a blessing to so many in Philly and the surrounding counties. 🙂
Hawkstalkers! I love it. 🙂
Pretty fun group, the stalkers. Have a FB group. Want me to add you, Robin? They are currently stomping all around the FI wondering where this year’s nest will be as the father bird died last year (swooped into the path of a truck). New partner for the female and he’s the one who chooses the nest area. Ah, the things we can learn these days about raptors… besides kitties!
Poor Lilybet – the jig is certainly up. Our crew went yesterday to the clinic and there was MUCH complaining throughout the night from the foster room by the momma cat – nothing like “FEED ME” at top volume at 4am. 🙂
Love me some Lunk….those toes are irresitable
I am prepared for a night of not very much sleep. Lilybet can be vocal (and sound very sad) when she wants to! 🙂
apparently it is hawk day, as Katnip Lounge had them on hers, and she edited out the gory bits too.
Spring must be on the way, the hawks are on the move! 🙂
Nice to see the cats!
Purring for Rover…
The little chickens are so delicated, isn´t?
Kisses
They are very delicate indeed. I’m always worried I’ll hurt them, when I’m picking them up.
I want that Lunk here!!!!!!!!
Come and get ‘im! 🙂
Damn hawks. Yeah that what it is. They are common in Missouri a problem for our chickens. Hopefully Gracie is big and tough and scared the mean hawk away. I catch hawks dancing on top of our Garden Coop and we’ve had a swooping once or twice when the girls are free roaming. Neighbors recently took down trees and our yard is just a target for them now. Free roaming chicken days have come to a minimum unfortunately.
The hawks see George and Gracie, and keep on going – even if the dogs are flopped out, sound asleep!
The hawk’s all “A bird’s gotta eat, y’know. I happen to like squirrel tartar!”
Lilybet reminded me of Maura, the other “bamboozler” cat from a while back. I’m sure she’d be laughing at having you all fooled except for the whole “going to get spayed” thing!
I misread “squirrel tartar” as “squirrel tartan” and wondered briefly if that was a Scottish dish I was unaware of!
Oh my gosh! In that second picture of Batman, he IS watching you! Blown up to original size, you can totally see you reflected in his eyes! Mostly your arms.. but he’s got his eye on you for sure. Criminal… MOL
Hawks make me afraid for the kitties.. Glad George and Gracie are on the job!
I love how Lilybet’s markings make it look like she’s smiling all the time! She’s so pretty!
I noticed that you could see me in his eyes. Kind of neat, isn’t it? 🙂
Wow, those chicks really are growing fast! We’re in love with Spanky.
Spanky thinks you have excellent taste! 🙂
How do vets mess up a pregnancy diagnosis? If anyone would know, I would think it would be the vet. It baffles me.
Another thing that baffles me is how Crooked Acres doesn’t have any baby ducks with two males and two females occupying the premises.
Both questions, I’m going to save for Friday’s post!
“Wait! I think I just felt the baby kick!” [*snort*]