An Odd Encounter

 

        Saturday morning, I am sitting in my wicker chair on the front porch, with Boxcar curled up next to me. We are just watching the neighborhood wake up.  A few are getting into their cars and driving off, while others are walking down their driveway to pick up their newspaper.

        Keep in mind, this is not the woods. I live in a simple, little house, not in town but I can see the intersection and train tracks from my porch. Anyway, what I was not expecting was a full-grown hawk to swoop down and land on my porch railing.

        At first, I thought maybe it was going to help itself to some of the food in Boxcar’s bowl, or maybe drink from his water dish, but then I realized that couldn’t be the case.  Hawks eat live things, not dry, crunchy nuggets. I just sat still and waited to see what it was going to do.  Boxcar didn’t at all seem interested, although I’m sure he heard it land on the railing.

        I was wishing I had my camera but knew if I stood up to go and get it, the thing would fly off.  I also knew that Boxcar was way too large for that hawk to attack, besides, it appeared content to just sit there looking around.  Every now and then it would wipe the sides of its beak on the wood rail, like it was cleaning it or something.

 

So far, none of my neighbors had noticed it sitting here.   Finally, it lifted off and positioned itself on a branch just next to the railing it had been on.  I figured if it could move around then so could I.  I went into the house and got my camera.  Here is what was so interesting to us.