If you're into this sort of thing...

[GTRS Fiero]

I'm not sure what these are, but they had a profound affect on a certain woman at the office.  She was not grateful when I framed it for her.  No gratitude at all.

[GTRS Fiero]

These have been hanging out.  The dog killed all the moles, mice, and rabbits, so maybe they're after squirrels.  As I think of it, the dog killed lots of birds and squirrels, too.

[Raydar]

I'm not sure what these are, but they had a profound affect on a certain woman at the office. 

House Centipede.
http://www.westernexterminator.com/occasional-invaders/centipede/understanding-the-house-centipede/

Quite harmless, but eat lots of other pests. (Cockroaches, spiders, ants, termites, etc.)

[GTRS Fiero]

My son said it was a centipede.  I hadn't thought so.

[GTXVette]

 


    The Birds look a bit like a Falcon but look too big so most likely they are red Tail Hawks, the Fact that Two are there and NOT fighting Means they are a Pair and did you know they Mate for Life. There must still be some Mice Left. Watching them Hunt is Facinating and when they catch something it will Make you want to Applaude. 
 and about the Mating for life thing, Often when one gets Hit by a car when Diving on a food sorce, you will see the Mate Just Down the Road, Like a Suicide thing, Somehow I think they Feel Grief.  I am truely a Fan of Birds of Prey, but sadly can't Identify all of them.

[GTRS Fiero]

They are read-tailed hawks.  You are correct.  There are 3.

I guess there could be rodents in the neighbors' yards.

After I typed that post, I wondered if the hawks could be after our dog, but 50 pounds is probably too big.  Maybe the neighbor's little yappers, though...  I have seen birds get rabbits, cats, fish, and babies of many species.  I've also seen them kill other birds in flight.  It never occurred to me to applaud.  Once, I just sortof stood there in shock.  A bird killing a grown cat is unusual.  The cat taunted that bird, day after day.  I figure the hawk was doing at least 100MPH when it hit the cat, and the cat saw it coming.

[GTXVette]

  Sorry 'Bout the Cat. the Mockingbirds Give my cat Hell, Relentless... He has a look in his eye that    One Day.....

[Fierofool]

My subdivision is on the edge of the city limits.  We're bordered by horse and cattle farms and lots of trees and pasture.  With that, there are lots of Squirrel, Rabbit, O'possum, Raccoon, Deer, Turkey and likely tons of field mice and snakes.  That supports lots of Red Tail Hawks and with ample food, they grow to good size. 

I've never seen one big enough to carry a full grown Rabbit, though.  Usually they will strike and hold onto the prey to kill it on the spot.  Sometimes, as many as 4 or 5 can be spotted floating on the updrafts.  Through the years I've seen a number being killed by a vehicle strike.  They become so focused on their prey that they will come in across a highway or Interstate, headed for something on the shoulder or in the median that they are oblivious to the oncoming traffic.  When they alight in my back yard trees, we're cautious about letting the Miniature Dachshunds out.

In my late teens, I was struck in my left shoulder by a large Hoot Owl as I was driving home from a date one night with my window down.  It ricocheted into the inside of my rear glass and it later died.  Good bruise on my shoulder.  I figure it was diving in on something, being out on a dirt road in farm country. 

[GTXVette]

 

   I used to roam around in an OLD Barn that had sat Unused for at least 20 years over on Long island dr.in Sandy Springs, there were what we Called Barn Owl's inside that I swear stood 3 feet Tall and Had a 6 foot wing span man they were Beautiful, Having been Raised in South Miami There were always Bald eagles and Ospreay and they really are BIG Birds, But Mostly Fish and small animals for food, But the Law in my area was You Could NOT chain up your Dog, it was Just Baiting the Gators.  They are Just Big 'ol Lizards

[Raydar]

We have hawks in the woods behind us. They eat the rabbits and squirrels.
One day Tammy and our 60 lb. Aussie came out of the garage, about to get in her van to go someplace.
Next to our driveway was a hawk that had killed - and was happily munching upon - a big rabbit.
He looked at Tammy and the dog like, "Don't even..." and then picked up that rabbit and flew off.
She said it was quite intimidating. As was the owl that was perched upon the fence post at the corner of our yard, another time.
Our dogs lost their minds, of course. They'd never seen a bird that big, up close and personal - and were not in a hurry to get any closer.

[GTRS Fiero]

We used to have an owl that sat on our fencepost.  Later, he moved to the tree next door.  After a year or so, he was gone.

I'd guess these hawks can lift 5-8 pounds, depending on their size.  Looking it up, they claim that a hawk can't lift 3 pounds.  Of course, a lot of an animal's weight is blood.  Once the blood leaks out, the animal will weigh less.  I dunno.  I've seen them take a rabbit and fly with it.  Experts claim that they cannot go far.  If they get it off the ground, they've flown with it.  As far as I'm concerned, if the experts haven't seen it, they don't believe it.  How much could Phil (the gorilla) lift?  We'll never know.  They put weights on the lid for his feed bin, and he held the lid open and ate leisurely.

[TopNotch]

At the business park where I work...

[GTRS Fiero]

Nice.  Ever wonder what they're thinking?  ”If you were a bit smaller, I'd eat you.”