[EBB Sightings] hawks

Went for daily exercise walk/birding with bird binocs yesterday around 
the upper golf course at Rossmoor. I had just reached my favorite spot 
to view a bluebird couple when I looked up and saw two large redtail 
hawks, flying very low. I watched them with my binoculars, saw the 
"landing gear" go down on one and realized it was diving. Down to the 
ground 100 feet away from me but he came up empty, but I noticed a 
brownish lump. It disappeared in the high grass and I thought, lucky 
bugger, that rodent. But the hawks persisted and soon another did one 
of those glorious fast drops from fairly high, straight down, like a 
bomb. He made contact and to my surprise I saw a wing go up from the 
victim that had been lifted about a foot or two before dropping. 
Another hawk!

Ran across the street to within 10 feet and there, above me on an 
embankment, another red-tail was panting with an obvious broken left 
wing. Two bluejays were already on the attack, verbally, and encircling 
the poor thing.

Ran back to office, got our staff photographer (I work for the 
newspaper) , grabbed a box and sheet and returned. The poor divil was 
under a bush, hiding from further attack whilst the bluejays continue 
their harassment. By now, it was in shock and I was able to put the 
sheet over him and put him in the box. Straight to the Lindsay we went, 
and to our surprise, was still alive when we left him there. I hope he 
makes it, his accession number is 926. I couldn't see any other wounds 
besides the wing, but that looked pretty bad so it may be a lifer at 
some museum or park if it pulls through.

It seemed to be an adult, though smallish hawk. Lindsay staff confirmed 
it was a red-tail because both the photog and I thought that surely it 
was either a baby or another species, lest the red-tails prove 
cannibalistic.

Though there was adrenaline aplenty involving the rescue, I had never 
been so close and able to observe so well the flying behavior and 
attack of the big birds. Very exciting.

PS. Last Friday, near the Grizzly watertank above Stanley Dollar Drive, 
just outside of Rossmoor limits, I took my lunch walk and observed a 
group of quail, including immature males, I believe, with the 
semi=developed head plumes. A turkey, blackbirds, a Western bluebird 
couple, and a very good view of a male Western meadowlark. First time 
out with my new binoculars (still cheapies but a great improvement on 
former). It was thrilling to watch him throw back his head and sing his 
beautiful song. Compared to the guides, the lines on his head were 
darker and more defined, more like an Eastern version, but I'm sure it 
was the Western, right?