GHOST TOWN

I was sitting on my back deck, leaning forward in my chair and scanning our back yard, when my husband Steven came outside. “What are you looking for?” He asked.

I pointed to the bird feeders. “I filled them two days ago and I haven’t seen a bird, chipmunk, squirrel, or even a rabbit for the past few days.”

Steven looked confused. “That’s strange.” He went down the steps to the feeders. “They’re completely full!” He called back to me.

Just then our son Alex came outside. “What are you guys up to?”

“Your Mom’s worried that no ones been visiting her bird feeders the last few days.” Steven answered as he came back up the stairs to the deck.

“That’s probably because the Cooper hawk has been sitting on the railing of our deck for the last few days.” He said.

“What?” I cried.

“Yeah, he was perched on the railing yesterday checking out your bird feeders.”

“Well, that answers that question.” Steven said as he sat down next to me.

“Great.” I sighed. “He’s chased all my little friends away.”

“They’ll come back once he’s out of the area.” Steven reassured me.

“Maybe.” I leaned back in my chair. “But right now he’s making my back yard into a ghost town.”

Just then we heard the sharp, rapid call of the Cooper hawk. All three of us looked up in the trees.

“There he is!” Alex called as he pointed at the top of one of our pines.

“Go away!” I called up to him.

Steven and Alex both looked at me.

“What?” I shrugged my shoulders. “He’s messing with my bird and small critter guests.”

We watched as he swooped down from the tree. His coppery brown feathers mixed with the white of his chest flew past our porch and up over the roof of our house.

“You have to admit he’s a beautiful bird.” Steven said as he leaned back in his chair.

“Pretty or not I just want him to find another hunting area.”

A few seconds later our pair of hummingbirds whizzed by our deck and headed for their feeder. “At least those two aren’t afraid of the hawk.”

Alex laugh. “I’m pretty sure they’re too fast for the hawk.”

“And definitely not worth the effort for such a tiny snack.” Steven added.

“Hey!” I cried.

“What?” Steven laughed as he shook his head. “I’m just stating the obvious.”

“You two still need to be careful.” I called to the hummingbirds as they were busy chasing each other away from the feeder. “Hawks can be tricky and you two are distracted with fighting over who’s going to get a drink first.” I shook my head.

We heard the sharp call of the hawk again and both hummingbirds quickly flew into the woods.

I nodded my head as I looked over at Alex and Steven. “See? They were listening.”