Absolutely scariest moment

[Karen]

Everyday when I get home from work, I take Kady and my dog outside for some sunshine and some exercise for the dog (little min-pin). The other day I am sitting outside in the sun with Kady on my lap/leg and some movement caught my eye and I look over in the tree, it was a little obscured, but I was almost positive I saw a hawk. I asked my husband who was outside with me watching the dog if he could get a better look at that tree to see if that was in fact a hawk. It was!

As soon as my husband identified it was a hawk it took wing and came in my direction! I immediately wrapped my arms around Kady's body, who was sitting on my leg and leaned over him so that he was close to my chest and my back and head were protecting him from the sky. I literally was shaking and extremely scared. I couldn't move for fear Kady would move and be exposed. The hawk came right over the top of us and began circling. With each circle the hawk got lower. The hawk circled 3 times and couldn't have been more than 20 feet above us. It finally circled away and went over the trees. It was not bothered that we were right there!

I can't begin to tell you all the scenarios that ran through my head of what could have happened had the circumstances been different. I thank the angel that sits on my shoulder and protects me, that Kady was right on me and that I saw the hawk right away and was able to cover him.

Does anyone know why a hawk circles?

 

[Beasley]

A hawk circles while hunting prey. We have a lot of hawks here and I’ve had similar experiences with my little chihuahuas. They definitely can, will, and have snatched a small dog for an easy meal I’m glad you and your husband were there to protect poor Kady!

 

[Eggburt Dobson]

That's so scary. I'm glad you and Kady are ok . I live in an area with lots of Hawks so that's a good reminder to me to careful when taking out my small creatures

 

[Brittany0208]

That's so scary! Glad you guys are okay.

Just yesterday, I was outside with Java and we both noticed hawks or vultures in the sky, about three of them, and they were circling, which is something they always do since I live near an interstate, but for some reason Java couldn't stop staring at them, and when he realized what they were, he chirped and started twitching, so I took him back inside. The birds were nowhere near us but apparently they were close enough to worry Java. I'm always on high alert when I take him out since there are large birds here: owls, hawks, vultures, crows, and I can't always see them because of the trees, so I make sure he's always within reach just in case there's a bird watching him that I can't see.

 

[Icey]

I'm so glad you are all okay.
I can only imagine the panic you must have had.
Whenever I take Frankie out I make sure Teddy my dog goes with us and he doesn't leave Frankie's side
We are always watching for hawks and crows.
Frankie is never more than a foot or so from me and as soon as I see anything getting close I scoop him up and we head back in.
And yes, birds will circle over their prey.

 

[Hankmacaw]

I'm sorry that hawk scared you. Poor Kady was probably saying what the heck is mom doing to me now.
We have a lot of hawks in this area, but they mostly stay up near the mountains and rarely come down into the valley. This little valley is full of crows and ravens and they do a good job of keeping the hawks out of here. I see a batch of crows/ravens chasing a hawk out of the valley every once in awhile. Crows and ravens won't take on a bird the size of our macaws - and my yard crows always just ignore Jasper.

 

[Mizzely]

Circling can also be taking advantage of thermal air currents to help extend their flight without using energy to do so, or just searching for prey. It may have been investigating more than hunting if it got that close without attempting to dive and strike. Depending on the species, some do circle over prey while others will stay perched and ambush.

 

[Hjarta5]

Wow, what a scary incident! Glad no harm came about

 

[DoubleTake]

Glad it ended with everyone being safe. My boys will alert me, in their backpack, if they see a raptor in the sky. Sometimes I have to look around because its just a tiny spec a mile away.

 

[Begone]

How scary. Very happy that you did everything right so it was a good ending.

 

[aooratrix]

Glad no one got hurt. I have an acquaintance who had a large (1600+ g) male GW that was snatched from her shoulder by a hawk. Horrible! I know when my birds are out in the aviary, they are extremely vigilant about and reactive to airborne animals and objects. I always know when there's a buzzard or plane around. We are about to have an area festival, and a plane with a banner kept circling the area. The girls were unnerved by it and froze. Eventually, I gave up and took them in.

 

[Karen]

Glad no one got hurt. I have an acquaintance who had a large (1600+ g) male GW that was snatched from her shoulder by a hawk. Horrible! I know when my birds are out in the aviary, they are extremely vigilant about and reactive to airborne animals and objects. I always know when there's a buzzard or plane around. We are about to have an area festival, and a plane with a banner kept circling the area. The girls were unnerved by it and froze. Eventually, I gave up and took them in.

That’s why I am so grateful that he was sitting on my lap when this took place instead of on my shoulder! Kady's normally the same way, he’s spotting them way up in the sky before I see them and I always watch where he watches. Not saying that he didn’t see this one, but it did come up from his backside.

When I enclosed Kady with my arms and literally hunched over and covered him up, he was as still as can be and didn’t give me a hard time about this unusual position we were in.
Makes me think that he may have known what was going on.

I know in the past when he has seen Hawks he always reacts to them as if he knows what they are.

 

[Karen]

Thank you! I’m extremely grateful.

 

[Karen]

It may have been investigating more than hunting if it got that close without attempting to dive and strike.

It may have wanted a closer look at the biggest cardinal it had ever seen, LOL!

 

[Mizzely]

It may have wanted a closer look at the biggest cardinal it had ever seen, LOL!

probably!

 

[Begone]

I know in the past when he has seen Hawks he always reacts to them as if he knows what they are

They know. It must be in their DNA because all birds I had have react negative to bigger predator bird's.
I can hear from the sounds of my girl's when a hawk is gliding in circles outside.
Once when I was out with Eloy he did see a hawk above us and panic and leave my shoulder.
I was really happy that he had a harness on that I was holding on to and also have the leach fasten in a belt.

 

[Mitzi]

Where are you located at? I'm in southeast Texas and we have a lot of hawks where I live.

 

[Nikomania]

This gave me chills, just thinking about what could have happened to Kady. Thank God you were close by!

 

[Dartman]

Nerd used to stand watch and alert us when he spotted any large birds outside the kitchen window. We always thanked him for protecting us from getting carried away.

 

[Zara]

Very scary! I´m glad you are all safe!
This is why I never take Sydney out in his harness alone. On my birthday I didn´t see the hawk coming, my boyfriend spotted him and called it and I was able to get Sydney to safety.

When I enclosed Kady with my arms and literally hunched over and covered him up, he was as still as can be and didn’t give me a hard time about this unusual position we were in.
Makes me think that he may have known what was going on.

Maybe it´s a natural thing, like when a mother protects her young by putting them underneath?

I have an acquaintance who had a large (1600+ g) male GW that was snatched from her shoulder by a hawk. Horrible!

Holy heck! That´s awful and terrifying!