The Remorseless Cruelty of Nature

[plumtreeblossom]

Something terrible appears to have happened on our balcony today while I was at work. There are bloody feathers all over one corner, and in some of my veggie plants. vanguardcdk said it looks like a pigeon exploded. This is the 3rd floor so it wasn't a cat. I suspect a hawk or two are back in the neighborhood. Last year I saw one swallowing the last of a young squirrel. Why would a hawk pull all those feathers out, though? I though they just swallowed everything whole. No more balcony time for BenBen for now.

Couple that with the sadness that my precious 6-week-old Super Sweet 100 cherry tomato sprout died outside today (I guess it wasn't warm enough for it to move outside) and my 2nd round of sage is also just about dead, and that makes for one miserable balcony. I have two very tiny Super Sweet 100 sprouts left and I hope I can bring even one to maturity. I'm having a bad urban farm day.

Comments

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

yikes! We found what looked like the remains of an eaten bird on our side yard path the other day. The season for vulnerable baby birds and distracted bird parents I guess.

Sorry about the super sweet 100s; I have never had luck growing anything from seed, in fact I think the things I thought were chard seedlings are weeds, what a rip.

[necturus.livejournal.com]

Why would a hawk pull all those feathers out, though? I though they just swallowed everything whole.

One Fourth of July several years ago I was on the Esplanade dealing with a WCRB broadcast when the transmitter started acting up, and my only way to get there involved taking the Red Line to Porter and catching a train. While I was waiting for the train at Porter, I saw a feather land at my feet. That was odd, I thought to myself, and paid it no more attention. But then a second one came drifting down, followed by a third. Curious, I searched for the source of these feathers and spotted a hawk on a lamp-post pecking away at something it had between its legs. After a few minutes, the continuing rain of feathers made it clear hat the hawk was pecking at the remains of a pigeon. When the hawk saw me looking at it, it got spooked and flew off with its burden in the direction of the former Sears (now Lesley University) building.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Maybe that's what happened yesterday on my balcony. The feathers were mostly downy under-feathers; I only found a few tail feathers. . Maybe the hawk (if that's what did this) had the time and leisure to pluck its kill before eating.

[entrochan.livejournal.com]

I know it's not the same as the ones you've grown on your own from seed, but I have extra tomato plants that I grew from seed if you want a couple. (There's room for a lot more seedlings than full-grown plants!) Isis Candy, Tumbling Tom, Sungold are the cherry-type ones I've got.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Really? I would LOVE some of those sprouts! Where are you living these days?

[entrochan.livejournal.com]

PM sent....