Hawk attack in Grand prairie, Texas takes a life

klcretired · Fri Mar 31, 2006 1:47 pm

Well it's bound to happen and as Hard and delegant as we landlord's try to protect our babies the Hawk got one of my Females, it was an instant kill but the hawk did not leave w/ her, i was able to throw my Rake at the Killer and my precious female was dropped and left for me to bury.It's really upsetting and just breaks my heart and i will Mourn her death for a little while then it's back to defending my colony the best that I can and hopefully i'll be better prepared for the next attack.
Oh the woes of a Landlord!!!!!!

Peggy Riley · Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:06 pm

So sorry to hear this KC. Hopefully they will be gone soon.

Peggy

Guest · Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:09 pm

Sorry to hear about the attack. The Coopers that landed on my Martin house several days ago has disappeared. This morning I watched about 10 hawks soaring together at a high altitude over our neighborhood. The Martins at my house and the neighbors scattered and raised a fuss nevertheless. Hopefully these hawks were on their way north. But there will be more I'm afraid.

Bud
North Plano

abernathys · Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:16 pm

Hey K.C. --Sorry to hear that...

I have lost two females the last two days due to a hawk. It is coming while I'm at work, so I haven't been able to scare it off, I'm just finding the feathers. I think it has gotten two of my females that have been protecting their compartment and leaving too late, since I have an open space. I hope today I find no bad news. Keep fighting and I hope you have a good season.

Sandy

klcretired · Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:18 pm

I appreciate the support Peggy & Bud , I don't think this hawk is going anywhere soon, i think he's here to stay , it's a small hawk of which i call a Sparrow Hawk, in looking up sparrow hawk it says that they are Kestrels.
Kestrels and sparrow hawks are one in tha same, I had trouble w/ this one last year but he never made a kill here at my colony the reason being is i scared him off and he never came back the rest of that year. I guess being hungary outweighs being scared .

klcretired · Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:20 pm

Thanks for the kind words Sandy, I will never give up, i will fight to protect my colony to the death.....as the saying goes....Let The Games Begin!!!!

Guest · Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:45 pm

So sorry for your loss, Kenny. I know it just breaks your heart. My PMs went after a Coopers today while I was outside repairing my fence. It stops my heart every time I see something like that. I feel for you.

Kestrels are notorious pranksters. You can shoo them away, but they only scoot down a yard or two and watch. It's hard to get them to leave. You just have to keep at it. He'll get tired of the game after a while. Good luck!

Shelley

Peggy Riley · Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:02 pm

KC I think our drought this winter has caused a lot of our problems. There have been fewer mice etc for them to feed on. With the rains I expect they will be finding the new crop of young mice etc to feed on. I know we are seeing an abundance of coyotes, bobcats etc in our area coming closer to homes. They are looking for food.

roblrich · Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:14 pm

I have never saw a hawk attack my colony. Then yesterday after reading a post by Louise Chambers, I posted as much on the forum and was agreeing with her that maybe the reason being was we have so many crows in the area. A few minutes later, a hawk visited my site.

A 'Sharpie' it appeared to be, briefly landed on a porch of a gourd, then immediately bolted to the ground approx 35 yards away where I have my bait repeating trap for sparrows. He didn't hang around long as soon as he saw he couldn't get to them.

This morning when I released a song sparrow, I noticed an abrasion on top of a HOSP's head. I have no idea if it was from the hawk or he got it some other way.

Dale Hrncirik · Fri Mar 31, 2006 4:23 pm

Hey Kenny,

Man I am so sorry to hear that you lost a martin. I unfortunately witnessed it a couple of times in Wylie. Once a colony gets to around 20 pairs or larger, they tend to be prone to attacks. I haven't seen any cruising thru my site but expect its a matter of time. The good thing for us in this area is that the accipiters are usually passing thru and should be pretty much out of the area in a week or two. I'm thinking around the time the subbies come in that the hawks have moved north. Wish you the best from here on out.

Dale

loco for purple · Fri Mar 31, 2006 6:45 pm

klcretired,

Sorry to hear of your loss..An immature cooper showed up this morning,but it was seen.It moved on with the martins in hot pursuit..I was surprised that you said it was a kestrel.I have one or two behind my house all the time.They perch on a huge cottonwood tree about 300ft behind my house.I always see them hoovering in the open field behind my house..The weird thing is my martins ignore these hawks,and vice versa.I have seen one catch a house sparrow at a hospital before, and I always see them on power lines with mice in their talons.I suppose the martins better start paying attention to them too..

Guest · Fri Mar 31, 2006 6:52 pm

KC,

We have Kestrals around here and used to think they are a beautiful bird. I guess I still do...just don't them around here. I'm really sorry for your loss. How big is your colony now?

I see on the scout map they are all around me but my 3 pairs haven't showed up yet. I'm anxiously waiting. I've trapped 6 sparrows just this week.

I hope the hawk moves on.

John Atteberry · Fri Mar 31, 2006 10:05 pm

Hello KC,
I feel your heartaches!!! I had one get one of the martins in the really foggy morning about two days ago! He came out of the trees about 100 feet away and the martins flew off screaming but the new martins that were flying around wasn't prepared like my colony is because of several attacks but none that I know of have been successsful! This martin was not prepared and the Cooper's Hawk came storming thru and got the martin over the lake! I ran as fast as I could to throw rocks near him to release the martin but he was gone quickly! My colony as of today are gone in the early mornings till 8:30-9:00 A.M. So they are used to this but not the new one's! Boy, Did I have that picture in my mind all day!!!! I was out there keeping things clear and ready for the hawk but haven't seen it for the past two days! Hang in there KC!!!! I'm with you! John!

Guest · Fri Mar 31, 2006 10:08 pm

More than likely a sharpy if it's small. Kestrels really don't catch swallows unless they're fledglings or whatever. Sorry for your loss.

Guest · Fri Mar 31, 2006 10:18 pm

coopers wrote:More than likely a sharpy if it's small. Kestrels really don't catch swallows unless they're fledglings or whatever. Sorry for your loss.

Not to start a war, but more than likely a Sparrow Hawk. I haven't seen a Sharpie around here.... doesn't mean there not. The hiway between me & KLC has quite a few. Other than SH, I've only seen Red Tails. And Buzzurds.... can't forget them!!!

Chuck

klcretired · Sat Apr 01, 2006 4:50 pm

Thanks everyone for all your support and understanding , It's Great to have people that understand...Purple Martin People are the Best!!!!.[/img]