Front Row - Center

 

My night-vision cameras show me what takes place in my backyard while I’m sleeping.  It’s fun to see the things that are normally hidden from view.  For the most part, the racoons, possums and rabbits spend their time searching for food.  They all take turns drinking from the water dish I have set out.

I say it’s fun, but I’m not the one who’s hungry and must spend every waking moment looking for something to eat.  I’ve never seen the owl, but I can hear her every night.  I’m thankful that I’ve never seen her catching and eating one of the bunnies that hop around.  It was bad enough yesterday morning when I was on my way out to the yard and I noticed a hawk enjoying a tasty field mouse.

I’m glad it was taking place on the wrong side of the camera.  Had they been in front of the lens, I would have had close-ups of a premortem autopsy.  No special effects and no anesthetic.  Just a slow-motion tug-of-war between beak and limbs, claws and face.

Apparently, it was the hawk’s preference to dine alone, because when she noticed me watching, she asked for a doggy bag and took the rest home, which was yet another cinematic moment.  Dangling dismemberments dripping as they hung suspended beneath this fleeing serial killer.

It may be time to re-think these cameras.