We (mostly her) were afraid the new hawk in the neighborhood would carry off our 9 lb. dog, you know, a bunny with less fur to peel. My garage is ~150ft. from the house, redoing the deck and other projects, I put on a lot of miles back and forth. Lately I've been buzzed by the hawk, a high speed low pass and swoops away. He always stayed 4-6ft above me, yesterday in front of the wife and kid, he came within 2ft. This has happened twice a day for the past week.
When I retired I had a bunch of button down short sleeve shirts so now I wear them in lieu of T Shirts. I thought it may be the plaid patterns or something, but yesterday I had on a gray T Shirt.
Am I in danger? Mating season or something? Their nest is about a mile away.
Thanks, Dan
A hawk isn't going to be able to carry off a 9 lb dog, so don't worry about that.
In reply to 914Driver :
Contact a local game warden. They should be able to give you some advice specific to your area & whatever species of hawk it is.
The behavior seems strange to me, as it seems a bit late for it to have a nest to protect, and even if it does, the nest should be high enough in a tree that anyone on the ground wouldn't be seen as a threat. I can't imagine it viewing you as a potential meal either...unless your hairdo resembles some type of pelt!
I refuse to believe Andre Dawson would do that.
Possible nest nearby? Weird if it really is a mile.
True story:
When I was a toddler, maybe 2 or so, a rooster flew the coop and attacked my head. I covered and went down to the ground until my mother could get him off of me, after which, she executed him with the 22, and bagged the other roosters and left them with a neighbor. I was only made aware of this story recently, but it does start to explain why I'd always run through the coop as a young one and rile up the hens.
Maybe get a hat and glasses to give you a chance to get away before it gets you with its talons.
There may be a nest hiding closer than you think:
Mass man attacked by hawk
There are at least two pairs of hawks in my area, maybe three pairs, they are around enough that I can go outside pretty much at any time and look up and see them, or hear them. I've never seen or heard of them dive bombing anyone.
When I have a question about local wildlife, I usually reach out to UF and ask if someone there can direct my question to a professor that might know what's going on. I've actually started to help track gopher tortoises and other select reptiles that I come across for one prof there. I usually start with the wildlife program https://wec.ifas.ufl.edu/people/wec-faculty/
Maybe a local college also does some sort of wildlife/ecology program and would be able to help?
02Pilot
UltraDork
7/4/20 10:05 a.m.
Is it a redtail? They are very protective of their nests. Chances are there's one closer by than a mile, and you are inside the threat circle.
Used to be a pair that nested in my grandparents yard about 13 years ago. They would dive bomb anyone. Close enough to hit you, and would, if you weren't careful. Seems it was worse when the nest had littles in it. We took to wearing a hard hat or waving a stick overhead every few seconds. Eventually they had the trees removed. It sure what the answer is, but I'd second the idea to call your local wildlife folks and ask their advice.
stuart in mn said:
A hawk isn't going to be able to carry off a 9 lb dog, so don't worry about that.
No, but as the owner of two 5 lb chihuahuas, I can personally attest to what the talons do if they TRY to carry it away. My dog looked like hamburger and almost didn't make it. And it was successfully getting the dog off the ground. I think our yelling and waving of arms caused him to drop it.
preach
Reader
7/4/20 10:11 a.m.
I work at a shipyard, when the seagulls have little ones hilarity ensues with all of the agry gulls.
preach said:
https://www.foxnews.com/great-outdoors/massive-bird-of-prey-snags-shark-like-fish-in-wild-video
Not to derail the thread, but I don't buy this. First of all, that is the strangest Osprey I've ever seen, and secondly... the fish isn't that big for a bird that size. I've seen Ospreys take 5 lb bass out of the lake.
.... but they're flapping like crazy to stay aloft. I can't imagine even with the offshore winds that this bird could suspend that Mackerel without flapping, nor would that be normal behavior. They typically grab, flap to the nearest safe location, and eat as much as they can before competing birds get the news. An osprey just cruising around with a meal isn't normal.
Time to get a big tennis racquet?
Whats the best hawk recipe? Fried? Be a shame not to eat it if it comes down to that.
However, im wondering if something flashy like a bejeweled hat would scare it off of dive bombing you and the dog
No bling here, I have hair so no big shiny egg to snatch. It looks like a red tail without the red tail, spotted belly, black beak. I turned once just before the fly Ambitious SOB if he thinks he's gonna drag my 210 lb ass to the nest!
Thanks guys. Keep ya posted ....
Woody
MegaDork
7/4/20 12:23 p.m.
Goshawk maybe? Those things are a-holes.
preach said:
https://www.foxnews.com/great-outdoors/massive-bird-of-prey-snags-shark-like-fish-in-wild-video
Go search for Golden Eagle vs. Mountain Goat if you want to see some disturbing bird of prey kills.
Yep, thanks Woody; a Goshawk. My son is in Norwalk, CT where they have a lot of Ospreys and more damn night life than I thought possible in suburbia! Deer, coyotes, foxes and crazy turkeys that roost on your fence and use the backyard for MMA with the big male. 
He's had to turn the hose on them a few times!
In reply to Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter) :
Bad idea.
Try using an electric, ice, or rock attack to lower its hp.
