Attack!!!

I was painting the kitchen last week-end, windows wide open, music blasting, when I heard a disturbance in the yard. The chickens were raising such a fuss. There's always something they're trying to work out amonst the flock but this sounded, I don't know, more FRANTIC. So I went running out the front door and, lo and behold, A CHICKEN HAWK was trying to take one of my hens!!!

He was on top of her trying to dig his enormous talons into her and lift her into the air. Chickens were scattering and running for cover in all directions while this one hen battled for her life.

Have I mentioned that Max has a bad habit of leaving his toys laying around in the yard? I grabbed the first thing I saw, which happened to be Max's baseball bat, and ran into the fray, screaming bloody murder. The hawk, stunned by my sudden and bizarre approach, let go of my hen and flew off. I saw that he flew into a nearby tree so I ran to the tree, shaking my baseball bat at him and yelling threats. Truly, the neighbors are WAY over expecting anything less than me "threatening a tree" these days.

Then I got down on my hands and knees in the front yard to reassure the flock that everything was ok and that they were safe. So the neighbors most likely witnessed me "whispering reassuring words" to the pine trees as well. At least I assume that's what the police report will read.

Still and all, the hawk lost and I won. Plus, I was happy that I was better armed this time. Last time it happened a fox was trying to take a hen and I was armed with only a spatula and an oven mitt.

Julie - 2
Wildlife - 0