I arrived home about noon today to find a new yard
bird, a juvenile N. Goshawk, fly off from a pile of
feathers behind our chicken coop. What a delight to
see such a bird right in my yard. Much to my
consternation, I found that the large accipiter had
eaten almost the entirety of one of our full grown
hens. These hens are slightly larger than the average
fryer you buy at the grocery store. That Gos can eat!
Flying off to a hidden roost in an evergreen, the
bird was harassed by crows, jays, etc. for at least a
half hour or so before moving on. Our remaining
chickens were found in various hiding places about the
yard, cowering in terror. I think they'll be happy to
be confined to the protection of the coop for a week
or so until the Gos finds another prey base.


Ed Kane
Snohomish, WA

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