Sylvester and Sylvestet

It’s been a while since we shared the lives, loves, and liberties of our backyard Rabbits.

Not for lack of rabbits, I assure you.

My home state…did an interesting thing a while back.

They brought in several tens of thousands of rabbits and let them loose. Estimates range from 20,000 to 50,000.

Sometimes I wonder if they let them loose in our backyard. A friend woke up to find twenty in his front yard merrily munching on his grass.

I offered, “At least you don’t have to mow now.”

He didn’t smile.

I wonder if my home state understood bringing that many rabbits into the state would cause predators to come in, as well.

Because that’s happened. Bear, bobcat, wolf, hawk, owl, and eagle are definitely aloft more often than before.

We see their signs even if we don’t see them.

And whenever we see their signs, we are amazed because, having no social media accounts, they get their messages out.

Two-Legs had that ability, too.

But that was long ago.

 

Perusing the Menu

We last encountered Hawk in The Hawk (and less than a month ago it was).

Today we share another hawk, also youngish. There are several mature males and females in our area. They are either more shy or wary. We wonder if these fine young specimens are their offspring.

We suspect he’s checking out the menu.

Our backyard and yonder field are epicurean delights for The Wild.

They are such gourmets, you know.

This one also grooms.

Perhaps he’s on the prowl (yes, it is a he) for something other than a meal?

Perhaps he’s seen the Lovely Couple?

In any case, a handsome fellow perusing the menu.

Maybe.

 

The Hawk

Behold a young hawk, as yet unnamed (still learning Hawkish. I can do it, it just sounds like a human making fun of a hawk and, as I don’t wish to insult, I practice until I’m more eloquent).

This hawk is more or less resting. Taking in the view. Perhaps checking things out for a return.

Funny thing about The Wild, prey know when a nearby predator is on the hunt versus just stopping by for a look-see.

For one, the prey scatter. Those who do stick around are quick to take cover.

Otherwise, nothing. It reminds me of a Warner Brothers’ cartoon about coyotes and sheepdogs. The cartoon starts with the two of them talking cordially, each walking on their hind legs towards a tree. There’s a timeclock on the tree. On top of the timeclock is steam whistle.

Both coyote and sheepdog punch in. They continue to chat about what’s going on back at their den and doghouse, respectively.

The whistle on top of the timeclock goes off. The coyote runs to grab a sheep. The sheepdog intercepts him, stops him, and trounces him.

The coyote gets up, devises a plan to get a sheep.

The sheepdog thwarts his plan.

This continue until the afternoon when the whistle blows again. They both walk up to the timeclock, punch out, and wish each other a pleasant, quiet, and restful evening, ending with “See you tomorrow” and “Yep, see you tomorrow.”

Watch the next time you’re in The Wild.

Meanwhile, I gotta get me one of the timeclocks.

 

Cold Toes and The Wind

Here we see a hawk in January (we watch year-round, post as we can).

Poor thing; cold toes and a good wind.

Hawks don’t fret much about the wind.

They are the Lords of it.

All winged ones, actually.

Humans are, unless taught otherwise, two-dimensional thinkers.

We lost the third dimension twice in evolutionary history; once when our ancestors crawled out of the ocean and again when our ancestors descended from the trees.

Being two-dimensional, we’ve lost the ability to swim deep waters and fly long skies.

Pity.

There is a saying among my kind; Whenever an Old One dies, a library is lost.

We can not imagine what wisdom we’ve lost by destroying the oceans and skies.

Hawks Enjoy Keith Jarrett

The Wild continues to surprise us.

Case in point, this spry young fellow you see here, as yet unnamed.

We suspect he’s one of Glaxus‘ kin but so far he’s been very, very quiet.

Perhaps he’s hunting wabbits (and if you don’t get the reference, don’t worry).

Doubtful it’d be rabbits in undergrowth that dense. More likely chipmunks, voles, mice, something of that sort.

But we did notice his penchant for Keith Jarrett, specifically The Koln Concert (one of our favorites, as well).

We hope he finds what he seeks.

We wish that on all.

We also wish they’d be better prepared. Often people find what they seek and don’t realize what they were looking for until after it’s found them.