Thursday, July 12, 2007

When the neighbors are dumb

Ok, so I've told you about this family of hawks using my backyard as a hunting range. The other day, I was just about to pull off in my car when one of the baby hawks scored a squirrel right on the front lawn. I pulled out the camera, put it on video mode and right from the safety of my car window, I shot a small clip of the feast, yuck.

Then my dumb neighbors come out for a walk. The mother is jogging. The father and the 5 kids, ages 3 - 11 along with the family dog, a huge lab being held on the leash by the 4 year old, see the hawk on the lawn. The jogging mother goes up to the bird and inquires of me, "what kind of bird is that?" The father gives the 11 year old his camera phone to go right up to the hawk and take pictures. If that wasn't enough dumbness so far, the father never takes control of the leash. While I'm filming from the car, I see the dog dragging the kid getting ready to bolt after the hawk. Could have been ugly...


14 comments:

CrazyFiberLady said...

There is a distinct lack of common sense in more and more people these days.

C+SK said...

Woman!! I know this is how nature goes, but I did not want to see that squirrell be eaten! LOL LOL LOL!

Oh but you see, it's the bright people who are rare... we (even if I include myself in the group, so much for modesty) live among the dumb, not the other way round... LOL LOL LOL

Like yesterday, my street was flooded to waist level and all the kids (and grown-ups) were swimming in the water... this is Newark, people, that water contains more toxic waste that you should be allowed to be near for a lifetime or two... all but they were all so happy... :-S

Ina said...

Wow. Please tell your resident hawks there's lots of good hunting to tear to tiny bits in my backyard, nicely fat from eating my vegetables.

Labs have soft mouths. Hawks have sharp feet. Hm.

Heidi said...

Wow, that's so cool!!!!!!! Not the dumb neighbour, but the hawk.

Anonymous said...

OMGoodness. Why is it always YOUR yard?? It must be mighty comfy there, LOL.

AR said...

Eww! That is some neat hawk, though. Circle of life and all of that.

Neighbors. Ergh! I've had enough of stupid to last a lifetime!

Rebecca said...

but never fear, you were there to save the day!

BrownBerry said...

My goodness! When do you ever get to see nature that up close and personal??? Good on you to (a) film it and (b) give a warning so the hawk could do what it's meant to do. Way cool.

Patricia said...

What, a hawk can't get a decent meal up there? I'm humming, "The Circle of Life" as I type.

sherry said...

Good grief, with that yipping the dog was OBVIOUSLY excited and they still left it with the 4 year old in charge??

The hawk is definitely a cool neighborhood resident. Birds of prey are awesome. That's some pretty good video you took of it, too.

Anonymous said...

BE CAREFUL. When you see a baby hawk, the mother's nearby. Apparently you were not a threat, but you don't want to be dive bombed; hawks have a magnificent wing span that will cover your eyes, before they pluck them out, and can have talons slightly smaller than your hands, and they don't let go, simply because you swoosh at them. Tell your neighbors not to get close. Hawks are not pigeons.

Lynn said...

Ok if I saw a bird eating some sort of animal, I would NOT send my 11 y/o to go get a picture of it!!
And I think you have some sort of bird sign above your house that just squaks BUFFET!!! LOL

Deborah aka Miss Bee said...

He's a beautiful hawk! We've lived with hawks on our property for several years and more than once have been 'attacked' by a mama hawk. We have the red-shouldered hawks here. Last year I watched and photographed the babies as they grew, peeked out of the nest, fledged, and where taught to hunt by one of the partents. I talk to them when I see any of them now...no, I'm not crazy...just grew to love that family.

You must carry your camera with you as I do.

Betty O said...

Now that is one NEAT video! It certainly isn't every day that you would be able to catch something like that on your camera.