[NatureNS] a predator-prey encounter in our yard at our feeders

Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 17:15:06 -0400
From: Jim Wolford <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
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Jan. 22, 2007 - Our female CARDINAL appeared both yesterday and today, and
today was foraging under the hanging safflower seed feeder.

Also present at our feeders were a FLICKER, blue jays, crow, chickadees,
song sparrow, white-throated sparrows (5+), juncos (3+), our Norway rat, a
red squirrel, etc.

Jan. 23, 2007 - Today, nest to our Wolfville pheasant feeder, was a small
SPLOTCH OF BLOOD on the snow -- wishful thinking has us hoping that our
Norway rat has now met its demise, perhaps via the talons of a red-tailed
hawk that perched high in a tree in our back yard earlier today.

Jan. 24, 2007 - Yesterdayıs wishful thinking proved to be wrong today, when
I saw a healthy RAT back at my feeders -- it has neat round tunnels in the
shallow snow leading right to two of the feeders.

Jan. 25, 2007 -- In mid-afternoon I missed an event in our back yard, but
luckily Pat was there to see it.  Our NORWAY RAT was foraging in the open
under the niger feeder, when apparently an immature/yearling RED-TAILED HAWK
swooped in and POUNCED ON IT!  Then it took its time eating its catch, while
Pat looked on.  When I got home, all I could find down there were two
splotches of blood on the snow plus several small tufts of rat fur.

Now weıre hoping we donıt discover that we had more than one rat, like we
did in early winter.

Cheers from Jim in Wolfville, 542-9204
---------------------
Jim (James W.) Wolford
91 Wickwire Avenue 
Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada
B4P 1W3
phone (902)542-9204 (home)
fax (902)585-1059 (Acadia Univ. Biology Dept.)
e-mail <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
----------------------
Yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why
they call it the present! -- ?Sue Robertson, Nature Canada
----------------------

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