The Hawk or the Squirrel

One of the things that sold us on our new house is the view out the back.  The house itself is of the garden home variety, but it backs up to what it referred to as a Wetlands Area (i.e., a shaded swampy easement) that is quite peaceful and attractive.  This morning, as I drank coffee on the couch, an act of nature caught my eye.

Here we have a small, but still noble Hawk.  And, if you look close at the lower section of the tree on the right, is a squirrel.   Before the hawk caught my eye, it appears that the squirrel caught his.  This squirrel was in quite a quandry.   He was literally trapped.   Whether he went up or down, he'd be in open territory, or, in other words - breakfast.

I'm standing at the window wondering if I should go out and intervene, when the thought struck me.   Intervene on who's behalf?    Saving the squirrel seems humane, but will be denying the hawk his meal of the day.   But, saving the squirrel will also mean that he (and his friends) will be eating all my birdseed and chewing the flowers off the hummer feeders.  

And then, just as I've made the decision to save the squirrel, the hawk swooped down, circled the tree three times, missing the squirrel on all three passes and ..... left.

The squirrels finished off the birdseed well before 5pm.

Thanks for dropping by,
Lorrie