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| Not sure if the fight knocked over the shovel, which I have left out to prevent any further snow. You're welcome. |
Our preliminary examination shows two different kinds of bird feathers -- larger, well formed wing feathers and smaller, fluffier down ones. Also, we immediately notice that blood was spilled here.
By far the smaller feathers dominate, in the area around as well as upon the porch.
Because, in truth, I know nothing of ornithology, I have had to guess that either a large bird got hold of a smaller one that fought like hell, or a large bird got hold of a mammal that may have even successfully fought to escape, leaving different types of bloody feathers from the same bird behind. Anyone who actually did pay attention to this in Cub Scouts is invited to tell me what you think in comments.
Of course, Baby Dog Izzy zeroed in on the blood like a kamikaze. Once I wrestled him away, I swept off the feathers and washed off the blood with soapy water. Dogs, like other carnivores, know that blood = good eats!
And alas, I am reminded of Tennyson's immortal words:
Who trusted God was love indeed And love Creation's final law Tho' Nature, red in tooth and claw With ravine, shriek'd against his creed
Personally, I think there's no problem believing in a loving God and yet knowing nature is cruel. It's only wibbly wobbly types who walk up to grizzly bears to say hi that worship Nature as an all-benevolent goddess, dispensing kindness to all. They may get corrected suddenly and effectively.
I vote for a hawk that killed and ate a songbird. Was this during daylight hours? We have several species of hawk in the area. They aren't afraid to swoop down and grab a finch or titmouse at a bird feeder. I've even seen them pluck a songbird out of midair after a high speed dive. I keep our seed feeder under the porch overhang and the birds of prey usually pass it up. Hawks adapt pretty easily to human presence and go on about their hawk business as best they can. Larger hawks (like red tails) have been known to (rarely) take tiny dogs who are left untended in a back yard. Hunger is Mother Nature's fuel for bloody, violent behavior.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was around 10 am, and we have no shortage of hawks around here. O the ornithanity!
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