Hawkstrike!

Doesn't "Hawkstrike" sound like a cheesy 80's movie?

We did have a hawk visit the farm today- in person! She (or he) was beautiful. Mostly white with black flecks all over. The story continues as follows:

It was late morning- or at least what I've started calling late morning- 9:30 AM. And I was gathering all the cardboard and other recyclables together for my weekly drop off. As I was walking up the hill from the main house to my truck, I heard the craziest squawks from the chickens. Sounds I've never heard before- honest panicked sounds. So I put down what I was carrying and start to trot up the hill past the studio to the chicken coop. Then the Guineas started going and I knew something was really wrong. I first checked the coop and roost and counted non in the coop and three inside the roost. Then I went to the run and counted just four. One hen was missing. As I was standing there trying to see if she was hiding behind something, the Guineas got more and more raucous. They were standing outside the chicken run, about halfway up. Honestly, they might as well have been yelling, "Hey! You! Human! Stupid! Come HERE! LOOK HERE! NOT THERE DUMMY! HERE!" So I ran up to where they were and came face to beak with a huge white and black hawk. The Guineas, having done their job, scurried away to some tall grass only to rise up in a chorus of panic once more when Wiley came galloping up the hill to see what all the fuss was about. (Of course this is after his requisite "How to Annoy the Cats Today" activity. And don't worry- he doesn't hurt them. They generally sit around and look down at him from high perches. They stare at him in unison from their various safe spots and adopt the general look of not believing a creature so unpleasant and loud would dare even to exist.)

Anyway, back to the story.

So there I was, face to beak as it were, with this beautiful bird. It looked at me for a few heartbeats before it casually flew off to one of the big trees that line our property; to the chagrin of some local bluejays and squirrels. It's wingspan had to be longer than mine. It was that big. I mean, if I had a wingspan. Which I don't. Ahem…. SO. I went back and double checked the chicken count and found that I was initially correct- we were down a hen. I'm not even upset. I feel very lucky and honored to have had the opportunity to come so close to such a beautiful bird. (The hawk, not the chicken- as lovely as she was as far as chickens go) And if she/he (back to referring to the hawk) were so hungry and needed an easy meal, I can't bring myself to begrudge her that meal.