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Friday, January 29, 2021

Nature. Feline and Final Friday Fiction: A Squirrel and a Hawk




Thanks Comedy Plus for hosting Feline Friday

Thanks LLB Gang for hosting Nature Flower Friday

This year FFF will be prompted by photos or images we have.
This month's FFF was prompted by the photo below from
my friend Janice, the roving photo journalist sent me this photo.
Janice and I are both retired from N. C. State University.
During my time at NC State University I worked in three different departments.
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Chemistry and 1992, I transferred to Physics which is where I met Janice.
Long story short this photo reminded me of a funny true story.


Chemistry, Statistics and Physics were located in Cox Hall, 
Just a few feet to the left the Animal Science Department was in Polk Hall


NCSU was in walking distances to many cafes and restaurants. Being a life long walker,  I would walked to lunch at one of the cafes.  One day my route back to work was thru a small the courtyard  between Polk Hall (remember animal science) Physics passing under a large canopy of trees.  I was almost to the Physics building when I heard a shrill squawk followed by squirrel falling within an inch of my head.  It was so close to my head I felt a breeze.  I jumped back looked down to see a very stunned squirrel staring at me. A few seconds later, a bit wobbly it scurried in the opposite direction.   I looked up into the canopy of trees to see a young hawk over head.  Everyone working in the area around Cox and Polk hall knew each year hawks built a nest, ironically, on the roof of the animal science building. My theory is the young hawk was trying to learn to hunt!!  The squawking was about his glee to have caught a squirrel.  However he had not perfected his skills.  I think he had the squirrel in is tucked in his talons. Too late he realized he needed both feet for successful landing.  So he dropped the squirrel.  The squirrel lived to scurry another day and I'm sure the hawk learned a valuable lesson.  In my mind's eye, I could see Mom and Dad Hawk shaking their heads.  Junior obviously needed to repeat Hunting 101 before he could feed himself.

Feline Friday Flashback:

Angel Madi loved watching squirrels. She had perches located in several windows.

"When I'm very, very still and crouch very low I can watch squirrels scurrying.  They don't have a clue that a great game hunter is lurking just above them, but today this hunter is too happy watch."


We had one inch of snow early Thursday morning.  It was my kinda snow, 

did not stick to the roads just the trees and cars...very pretty

Below is a collage of our red maple

Left is right out of the camera right is black and white effect in LunaPic


19 comments:

  1. love the story... on one hand I'm sorry that the hawk got no lunch... but the squirrel escaped and got a second chance... is that a kind natural balance , maybe?

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  2. Bertie looked quite upset when I suggested perhaps he should go to Polk Hall at NCSU and register for Hunting 101...
    My friend Ian (Rosy's 'dad'') reported yesterday that on the outskirts of Aberdeen earlier this week he saw a goshawk fly off carrying a large pigeon.
    Happy Nature (red in tooth and claw) Friday!
    Cheers, Gail.

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  3. Hari OM
    ooooh my word!!! That hawk could have scored by knocking out the human and having enough for the whole family.... (sorry, my mind went a bit crazy there...) Ta for joining in FFF!!! YAM xx

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  4. That was a lovely story of your memories. We have hawks here that regularly take small mammals and birds. One though has moved on to bigger things and catches gulls, then takes them to the top of the electricity pylon to eat.

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  5. We loved your story and we're so glad that the squirrel was able to escape. We are still laughing at YAM's comment☺
    Your red maple is so beautiful in the snow!

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  6. Silly hawk lost his dinner. Yes, that squirrel got very lucky.

    Madi is a beautiful sight. Those squirrels better be glad the hunter wasn't allowed to get them.

    I'm glad you didn't get a bad snow that messes up everything.

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  7. What a great tale to tell of the squirrel that got away. Imagine if it had landed on your head how the story might have been a little different. We like watching squirrels just like Madi used to. Unfortunately when we go outside they always manage to scurry up a tree to safety.

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  8. That's one lucky little squirrel. Hunting 101 made me laugh out loud. What a lovely post.

    Our Angel Little Bit loved to stalk squirrels too. They fascinated her as well.

    Thank you for joining the Feline Friday Blog Hop.

    Have a purrfect Feline Friday and weekend. Big hug, honey. ♥

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  9. to funny on the baby hawk.. glad the squirrel got away to scurry another day
    so good to see sweet stalking Madi... I miss her. i like the Lunapic version best. I am trying to learn all that Lunapic can/will do and also learning photoscape. i may not renew picmonkey and go with the above 2 programs

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  10. Your FFF Story is terrific! What a lucky squirrel that the hawk was a Young one! And we love BOTH the photo and the BW version. We awoke to even more snow today! Well more like slush...the roads are sheets of ice, I think a walk to the store instead of drive, if I can find my ice cleats and ski poles. Have a marvellously Happy Day!

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  11. Cute story. I am glad the squirrel survived. Always nice to see Angel Madi. XO

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  12. I totally agree on the snow....it is nice when it's NOT on the roadways or sidewalks !!! more safe too ♥♥ you were lucky the "b" hawk did not swoop down
    towards you...YEOWZERZ... !!!

    madi; ewe bee gorgeouz; ♥♥♥ pleez ta tell everee one we said hi ♥♥♥

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  13. How amazing to see a hawk catch a squirrel! Chester says, too bad it got away!

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  14. That is a very funny story - better luck next time to the hawk and a very good ending for the squirrel.

    Woos - Lighting, Misty, and Timber

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  15. WOW!! Look at all that snow!!! We had a bad winter storm move through here Tuesday and Wednesday, there was snow in the mountains...but we didn't get any snow here!

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  16. Oh, that is a funny story!!! Can you imagine if it landed on your head??! 🤣 Though, I thinks maybe that would hurt...so good thingie that it didn't. Or you would be pickin' squirrel snot outta your hair furevers! 🤣😂
    Oh, your snow wonderland is beautifuls!!! we just got an atmospheric river trained right over us for two days! sigh. Good part is it was a cool storm, and it didn't cause too many debris flows from all the burn scars in the mountains. There was some mudslides, and a horsie and foal had to be pulled from the mud, butts they are okays!
    I would much rather have had your beautiful snow! BOL!
    Kisses,
    Ruby ♥

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Please leave a meow or bark for Angel Madi...her assistant (aka Mom) will respond in a timely fashion. =^..^=
Life is short, spend it with those who make you laugh
“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.” (Leo F. Buscaglia)
TONS OF HUGS
Cecilia and Angel Madi
Email: candb214@att.net