[TN-Bird] Bald eagle/sparrow hawk

Greetings again from the Charlotte Park section of West Nashville about 4 
blocks east of the old Cleece's Ferry boat ramp on the Cumberland River.

As I was driving east on Thunderbird Drive at approximately 8:50 AM today, I 
noticed that the (Bell's Bend?) bald eagle was flying parallel to me.  As I 
approached American Road, I saw it do a "dip" and drop about 20 feet probably 
having sighted a "food item."  Right after the "dip," the eagle resumed 
altitude 
and flew on to the Northeast where it could fish or cross Richland Creek and 
reach a different section of the Cumberland River.

My new yard bird addition, a gloriously beautiful male kestrel, has become 
bolder and spent most of yesterday and a good deal of Thursday perched on a 
utility wire which runs about 10 feet west of my deck and some 30-40 feet above 
it.  When he is there, NO SMALL birds appear.  The larger mourning doves and 
rock pigeons (isn't that the name of a band?) perch on the same wires as they 
obviously do not fear him.  The cardinals are very wary.  My juncos, house 
finches, sparrows, chickadees & titmice HIDE!  The minute the kestrel leaves, 
my 
deck fills up with hungry birds happy that the threat is gone.  The kestrel 
usually flies off to the Southwest in the direction of the old Walmart parking 
lot 
which still has lots of tall lights which might provide nesting sites.  I 
mentioned before that we had a couple of kestrels that nested yearly in one of 
the 
tall security lights at Riverbend Prison when I worked there as a librarian.  
A pair also nested in the tall Texaco sign that used to be on the Interstate 
at White Bridge/Robertson exit in West Nashville until the station was closed 
and torn down to make way for new highway construction which is happening 
right now.  I used to watch them as I waited for my tank to fill with gas or 
for 
the Tuckers to finish repairing my car.

This morning, all the little birds were there eating.  By the time I got back 
from errands, all the bird seed had been devoured, and my cardinals were 
still hungry.  I opened the trunk of the car to fill a bag with seed from the 
50 
lb. bag that I leave in the car (along with the 50 lb. bag of sunflower seed).  
Three of my cardinals seemed to know exactly what I was doing as they were 
perched low in the nearest tree watching me and repeatedly giving their sharp 
little calls.  As soon as I got upstairs and spread the seed on the deck, they 
were my first "customers!"

About 12:30 this morning, I had gone to the kitchen to refill my glass with 
ice and lemon water when I heard a faint clump, the motion light went on and 
one of the great horned owls was leaving the deck clutching something 
small--like one of my mice that comes to eat the bird seed.  Little by little, 
I believe 
my mouse population is dwindling.  Yeah!  Let's hear it for the owls and 
hawks in my neighborhood.

The immature Cooper's is still visible.  It seems to be hanging around the 
wooded edge where Interstate 40 crosses over Annex Avenue behind the Hill's 
Grocery, the U-Haul and an Asian Grocery.  Immy Coop is "growing up"--seems a 
little more bluish color is showing each time I see it.  It did a fly-by at my 
house yesterday while "Kessie" was at his perch on the wire.

Cheers, prayers & super birding,

Dee Thompson
Nashville, TN 

=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================

The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation.
-----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
----------------------------------------------------- 
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

  TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society 
       Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
        endorse the views or opinions expressed
        by the members of this discussion group.
 
         Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
                 wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
     Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
          web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    ========================================================

Other related posts: