My daughter Shannon lives in Florida and a few days ago she and her husband Rick had an exciting encounter with what I believe to be a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk.
Their swimming pool is screen-enclosed but they occasionally leave the door open so their dogs have access to the back yard to do their “duty”. When one of the dogs started barking excitedly they came out to investigate and found this hawk floundering in the pool.
Image used by permission
Rick had the presence of mind to grab the pool net and lift the waterlogged bird out of the water as Shannon took a couple of quick photos.
Image used by permission
The hawk was apparently uninjured but obviously terribly frightened and drenched. They carefully placed the bird on the grass outside the pool area. It was so water-laden that it couldn’t fly at first but eventually, after shaking off much of its water load, the hawk was able to fly off.
Shannon told me that she had the distinct, almost overpowering feeling that this hawk knew that they were trying to help it. I find that interesting because Shannon reads animals very well.
I have no experience with Red-shouldered Hawks but Mia tells me (she used to live in Florida) that the juveniles of the species are exceptionally curious and that may be how the bird ended up in the pool enclosure.
Shannon has the biggest, softest heart I know of so she’d have been devastated if this hawk had been injured or killed. I’m happy for both the bird and my daughter that it lives to hunt again.
Ron
Note: Later this morning we leave on our first Montana camping trip of the season. Internet access up there is poor to nonexistent so I won’t be commenting much if at all but I should be able to get your comment emails when I have phone service. I’ll attempt to post from the road occasionally but those posts will likely be brief. This is the earliest (by far) in the season we’ve made this trip so we have no idea if we’ll find birds in any numbers or not and the weather forecast looks a little iffy. Wish us luck.
Excellent save! I just returned from Florida and saw newly fledged red-shoulders everywhere, especially around water. None poolside though 😉
Excellent save! I just returned from Florida and saw newly fledged red-shoulders everywhere, especially around water. Not poolside though 😉
What a glorious, triumphant, heart-warming post to rekindle my addiction to your site.
Have a wonderful trip.
If it don’ walk like a duck, or quack like a duck, it might NOT be a duck….but a hawk!
Another good rescue tool can be an upside down broom…if you find a bird inside the house…they bump around the ceiling and the windows for a while, then get tired and will often rest on the broom’s “straws”. You can then carry them out side. A hat clapped over them and a piece of cardboard slid underneath to keep them trapped, but calm, is also good. I’d like to hear other successful solutions.
Wow! What an incredible experience. I’m so pleased for your daughter and the hawk that all turned out so well. I hope you have a wonderful time in Montana!
I’m glad this poor hawk ended up in a place where he’d be rescued by someone who cares, if he had to have that kind of adventure. Hope you have a great trip with lots of interesting birds and good weather.
What an experience for your daughter & her husband, Ron!! We used to do the same thing when we just had our dogs & before Hurricane Wilma blew our whole screen enclosure away!! We had a fenced in yard & would leave the door from the enclosure to the yard open for the dogs to be able to go in & out. We got some surprise visitors occasionally – snakes, opposums, neighborhood cats and birds. Your son-in-law used the same tool we would to help them out of the enclosure. The more studies I see about animals & whether they have emotions or not – I think they do realize when someone is trying to help them. Tell your daughter I’m so happy that she & her husband were able to rescue the raptor.
“Tell your daughter I’m so happy that she & her husband were able to rescue the raptor.”
I will, Jo Ann, you can count on it.
The mortality rate is very high for juvenile hawks because of their curiosity and unpolished hunting skills. This one was very lucky! I’ve frequently experienced rescued and released animals turning around to look at me befote taking off and wondered what they were thinking…was it a “thank you”, wondering if you were following (and maybe catching them), just curiousity??? Who knows……For your daughter to be the way she is, proves the old saying , “A raptor doesn’t fall far from the tree”…..when we let oir dogs in, or give them a drink, they usually look up at us or give us little, quick “kisses”. I’m pretty sure they’re saying, “Thanks”….
“I’m pretty sure they’re saying, “Thanks”….”
Wouldn’t it be nice if that’s the case, Patty? Not that it’s necessary of course…
Have a great, unencumbered, unplugged in, free from it all time…filled with birds, beautiful sights, wonderful weather and VERY few(other than chosen ones) sightings of two-leggeds!!!!
You hit all the touchstones, Patty. Thanks for the good wishes.
Wow an amazing experience your daughter and family had Ron!Thanks for sharing it and glad that it ended well.
I don’t thing they’ll forget this incident soon, John – including their dogs! Thanks.