Subject: [Tweeters] Sharpie vs Mountain Quail
Date: Jan 12 06:56:48 2016
From: mary hrudkaj - mch1096 at hotmail.com


For those of you who have visited to see the mountain quail in my yard out here west of Belfair you may remember my family room window overlooks the feeding area for the quail and other birds.


While at my computer yesterday afternoon I heard a thud then a thunk and saw two new marks on the window. I looked out into the yard and just below the window and about 8 ft out from the wall a Sharp-shinned Hawk was astride a Mountain Quail. The quail was still, looking like it may have been killed hitting the window. It was only stunned as it started fighting back as the hawk tried to move it to a safer place to finish off and then eat the quail. The struggle continued across the lawn and down toward the tree line beyond as the hawk tried to fly with the quail but couldn't get more than a few inches off the ground or a few feet farther along. Eventually the hawk managed to drag the now lifeless quail to shelter and cover just at the edge of the lawn. Several feather piles marked the efforts of the hawk.


I left the hawk to its meal. It's too dark yet this morning to see what, if anything besides feathers, is left of the quail.


The quail was one of a group of twelve that have come every couple days to feed in the area under my window. Sometimes nature is kind, sometimes cruel in our eyes and mind. But every thing has to eat and everything has to die.


Mary Hrudkaj

Belfair/Tahuya