Naturalist on the Run, Part II

Driving along an urban street to meet friends for our weekly long run, my husband and I were startled by a sight I had always wanted to see. Ten yards in front of our car, a hawk flapped heavily, seemingly unable to fly up into the crook of a tree, weighed down by the Rock Pigeon in its talons. Whether because of us or for some other reason, the hawk let go, and the pigeon flew away. Larger than the males, as hawks are, females prey on medium-sized birds such as pigeons and doves as well as smaller birds. What amazes me, though, is that the prey can weigh almost as much as the predator, with the largest pigeon weighing up to 13.4 ounces and the largest hawk weighing only an ounce more. Maybe the hawks predate only on smaller pigeons. Cooper’s Hawks also maraud birdfeeders in search of more petite birds. I don’t admit it to other bird lovers, but I’ve always secretly hoped that a Cooper’s or a Sharp-shinned Hawk would appear at my birdfeeder for a dramatic chase full of skill and agility.

Not as astonishing but still fun: the week before on a chilly evening run, an animal swam toward the bank in the river alongside us. We assumed it was a beaver, but a closer look revealed a raccoon. If this one was representative, they are fast, strong, and confident swimmers.