What Next............Now I Have A Hawk In My Backyard! I swear my back yard is a mini wildlife refuge. We've lived here for just over two years and I've seen things I've never seen before. Squirrels falling from trees (not just once, but 3 times), saw an owl in one of our trees last fall, and since living here, I've seen my first baby squirrel (by baby I mean tiny newborn kind) earlier this spring. A mama squirrel was running along the top of our privacy fence with one in her mouth. There seems to always be something out there for the dogs to bark at and chase. So last Sunday, I was taking a nap & when I awoke & let the dogs out, I almost instantly saw them sniffing at what looked like an animal of some sort. I freaked and hubby came to take a look. It was a clump of about 3 bird feathers. He then proceeded to tell me that while I was sleeping he saw a hawk land in our backyard with a bird of some kind in it's grasp. It seemed that he had landed just long enough to get a better hold of what it had caught and then took off again. I wish I could have seen it...........hubby said it was about as big as the parrots (macaws?) that you see in the pet shop.:eek: So cautiously we've had the dogs out under supervision and it wasn't seen again...............until yesterday afternoon. The dogs were out and I was on the patio calling them to come inside. I don't know what possessed me to look up, but there I saw him/her waaaaayyyyyy up high in the tree right above me! I got the fur kids in & went back out to see if I could get a better look, but it was gone from sight. I did notice how quiet it was.......no birds chirping in the trees and only one squirrel sitting low and very still on a board of the fence. I'm thinking he sensed the danger????? So, after this loooonnnnnnnng story, all I really want to know is, when is this predator going to go away? Gosh darn if we don't have this wonderfully sized, privacy fenced back yard and I can't even feel comfortable about letting the kids out to play. Maybe I need to cut down a few of the 7 trees we have back there.:rolleyes: If it didn't cost an arm and a leg, I think I would seriously consider it. |
Oh my! I would be afraid too! I don't know if they stick around or not but I would think that if it is a good feeding ground, they would. :( |
Isn't that so scary? I think I would leave the trees though as the hawks can't swoop down if trees are in the way. It's when it's all open and fields that they can swoop down! :eek: In June when my puppies were newborn, I was in the kitchen and out of the corner of my eye I saw a bird and I looked out and a small hawk landed on the edge of my pool with something in it's talons. I think from the corner of my eye that it grabbed another bird but I swear, it looked like one of the puppies. I practically had a heart attack. Now mind you, the puppies where up in my bedroom in their whelping box but still.... I looked out and the hawk must've seen me so it flew down into the neighbors yard behind me. My son and I went out to try to get him to drop whatever he had but when we headed that way, he flew off. Of course, I had to check my puppies even though I knew there was no possible way it had opened my bedroom window.... I never noticed them before but now that I have small dogs, I'm always looking at the sky. My six year old even tells people I'm always worried about hawks! |
oh my goodness!!!!!!!!!! You do know they can carry the dogs away and when they come zooming in, you cannot be fast enough to snatch the dogs up and their talons are these big giant claws. i don't mean to scare you but it scared me to read your post. i have hawks sometimes too on the back of the farm. |
Tell Jim to get his gun! Just teasing. |
I have the same problem, all sorts of critters coming around. The hawk will stay as long as there is prey for it. Fortunately one has never come after Emmy, but I only take her out on her leash and we stay pretty close to the house. |
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We had one come into the yard this June. Hubby saw it and he thought it had Myah in it's talons. He chased after it till he couldn't run anymore. He said he didn't know how he was going to tell me the bad news. He came into the house and I thought he was having a heart attack. Then he saw Myah in the house and stared saying OMG, OMG, over and over. He finally calmed down and told he what happened. I searched online to see what I could find as a deterrent and someplace it said they don't like flashy things. So I hung a bunch of old scratched cd's from the clothes line, and went and got a bunch of pinwheels that are all metallic. We put them up all along the fence line and haven't seen a hawk since. |
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Look out for owls at night they will kill them also.:eek: When I lived in AZ it was a hugh concern. |
We have 3 hawks that circle daily . . .it really freaks me out! I never let the babies out alone, I'm always with them . . .but now, even Brody, has to wear his leash . . .I'm not even sure me or a leash would deter one of them from swooping down . . .:eek: We've lived here 17 years and never once did we have wildlife . . .now within the past 3 years we've seen turkey, hawks, owls, foxes, deer and up the road from us there was a black bear just chillin in someone's yard . . .I really don't feel safe from all the wildlife when my dogs are out with me . . .sad to say . . .:( |
We live in the country and we have tons of animals that are always on the property, deer, turkey, muskrat, woodchucks, herons, swans (we have a bit of frontage on a small lake), snakes, and yes, hawks. I have never had anything try to mess with my dogs, I don't know if having the horses and goats deters them or what, but really it has not been anything I have had to worry about. Would it help to put a scarecrow out or something else that may deter it? |
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All the best - the flashy stuff sounds like a good idea ...I hope it works ! |
Rose, I would be afraid too. A couple of years ago I let Chizziewink out to play ball in the front yard. We were playing away when I heard that "scream" -- and I snatched Chizzie up speedy quick and got her in the house. The hawk was sitting in the trees just above where I had been throwing the ball for Chizzie. I am so glad that the hawk wasn't hungry :(. Now before I let any of the Yorkies out I look up and scan the trees. Be careful about shooting the hawks -- it is very illegal and if you get caught you will be in big doodoo. I'd try the flashy stuff first. |
1 Attachment(s) Rose you want me to send Amy over?? was it a sparrow hawk? they look big but are just after the lil birds..... |
Thats so scarey, its just a good idea to always be pretty diligent about watching your furbutt, which l know you are. My sister told me she seen a hawk in our area.. l've never seen one here before. l'm just really careful when Rockie is outside. The suggestions povided sound great, its always good to share information like this. |
That's crazy! We have had them here too. I've seen them in the park and one time one landed on my fire escape with something bloody in it's beak..i think a mouse. Anyway it's unusual but we usually see them in the spring and summer |
Yes, it is a very scary feeling...I've seen them around here as well. I too am shocked how much wild life I see around my house, and we live less then a half a block from a four lane highway...but still, I've seen fox, skunk, hawks, owls and a HUMONGOUS bull snake right in my completely fenced in back yard. I always go out the door before Winston and I take a good look around first, thank goodness I did or I think that snake would have got him for sure...it was right there, out the door, on my patio. |
I live smack dab in the city of Austin, Texas and a chicken hawk swooped down and got out Boston Terrier puppy. So believe me, it's not an urban myth. Now I'm so neurotic about those hawks.....I won't even let my hd (I don't even know what that stands for) fill the bird feeders for fear of attracting them. Dreadful bird. |
That is very scary! I sure would keep the pets in a protected area until this hawk goes somewhere else. Maybe put a pen up and some wire over the top of it so the hawk can't get inside. aacckk!! |
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Please be careful! |
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A friend of mine in AZ had an adult siamese cat sleeping in the sun on the door mat right on their porch. She heard the cat scream and ran out to see. The cat had managed to get away from whatever it was, but had big holes in its sides from big talons. It was rushed to the vet and they think it might have been an owl or hawk. The cat did not make it, and the vet said there was nothing that could have been done as there is poison in the talons that would have killed it anyway. I just couldn't handle something like that. We will be moving to the country soon and Daisy will be watched very carefully. Maybe I will have to make her a disco-ball dress!!!!! |
We have hawks all around where I live also - and it's VERY scary. I do NOT let Zoe out alone anyway - but even with us - I make sure she's on a lead with her harness... We also have coyotes (even MORE scary). Last evening (around 6:00) we were on the deck and could hear them howling up a storm...SCARY!!! |
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