It's strange how the hierarchy of nature goes. I saw our red-shouldered hawk being chased off by two mockingbirds the other day. You'd think they'd be afraid of him, but it was fascinating to watch. He would try to turn and fight them, and one would make a sudden turn and nip him, then the other would come around and nip him again. It was like a macabre dance in the air!

What a very cool sight! You have to feel sorry for the vultures but happy for the eagle. Out of curiosity were they black vultures or turkey vultures? Blacks have very short tails, grey/black heads and white feathers at the wing edges. Turkeys have long tails, red heads (juvies have grey/black heads) and are all black.

Sultry those golden eagles are probably juvenile balds (same size as adults). They take two years to attain adult plymage and are often mistaken for goldens. Goldens are a lot larger than balds and have been seen in FL but cery rarely. So rare in fact that a rare bird alert gets put out in our birding forums when that happens. BTW I envy you having balds around. They are such beautiful birds. one of the highlights as a birder happened years ago when the clean up of the Valdez Alaska oul spill was in full swing. As a wild bird rehabiltator I spent two weeks up there helping clean ouled birds and one day we got in a bald eagle. It was breathtaking to be inches away from that bird. I will never forget it.

bea : They were black vultures for sure, we have hordes of them hereabouts !

That is a excellent morning jofus. I have a bald eagle I see every once in awhile. I always stop what I am doing to watch it. Always hoping for a feather.

Bea, That must have been facinating to help with the oil spill!

Oh great, so the Bald Eagles are teaching their babies how to chicken hunt! Lol !! DH got me a good camera and lenses for xmas so I can take some photos when the Eagles and owls are around. I just have to learn how to use it now lol.

Owls sometimes come in late afternoon/very early evening. I never knew they did that! Scared the c*** out of me the first time a large one swooped down off a branch overhead. He apparently was just sitting over me while the chickens were making a ruckus and I was looking around for a hawk lol.

I used to let my chickens free range a lot when we had 2 big Broad Breasted Bronze turkey hens (giants of the turkey world) around. I'm sure they would be no match for an eagle if it was intent on getting them but they would stand up real tall and pouf themselves up to appear even larger and make a lot of noise whenever the birds of prey were around. This gave the chickens time to hide. I left a lot of hiding spots around. Now I can only let them out if I'm gonna be home to watch them. I need some more turkeys.

We live backed up to woods and a branch of a small river behind the property. Our back couple acres are very treed with, pines and oaks and other stuff mixed in. I think thats why there is so much wildlife here. We had deer in our front yard the other night. I haven't seen them that close to the house since we first moved here. The place had been empty awhile..

These are a few pics wifey recently took nearby, of the sore loser Black Vultures in my story. I see these guys lazily gliding by most every day, very little wing action,...mostly silently and gracefully cruising around on the air currents. They all seem to get along well with each other, but none are pals with the Bald Eagles who also ( in far lesser numbers ) make their homes in the many tall trees found all over this park ! Neighbors who tolerate each other, but that's about it ! LOL

We frequently see eagles and ospreys. I've seen them take over dinner on our road from buzzards a couple times. Once, I watched one trying to catch a fish in our lake for about 20 minutes. It finally sort of sat on the water for a few seconds, then rose victoriously with a fish.

Yup black vultures Jofus. When I rehabbed wild birds I took care of a few. Love those guys! The biggest problem with caring for them as adults is that when they are stressed, as in when they are held by a human, their best defense is to regurgerate their food. As these birds eat carrion you can just imagine the smell…it would make your toes curl!!!

Sultry we built a top-covered cage attached to our chicken house Because we too live in the woods and have barred owls and red shouldered hawks living around here. So ho free range for my girls but their yard is about 150 sq feet so plenty of room for 8 hens.

We get the vultures as well. They are kinda neat.

Ive seen Great Horned Owls, Screech Owls, and The crazy monkey calling Barred Owls here. The Barred ones like two big trees outside our bedroom window. They really put up a comical racket some nights. There is a meadow of sorts on one side of our property, between us and a neighbor..there are a few trees on one end that they hang out in, even in the daytime. They must find mice or something over there.

The only bird rehabbing/vetting I do is on our poultry. There's always some drama going on. I've done injections and even sutures on occasion. Not fun but sometimes necessary.

Yeah Judy, - I wish I had a dollar for every wild bird I have seen since moving in here in early 2009 ! My home has a close water view, directly thru the wide space between the two homes across the street,..bringing into clear focus Lake Sturgeon, which is at least 50 acres in size ! One important reason we have so many interesting birds in here I am sure, - with many of the smaller guys contributing to the concert ea morning ! :o)