Recycling Part II

 

Some weeks ago, on a section of road we call "Raptor Row" because it is a great spot to find several species of hawks and owls, we passed a road-killed White-tailed Deer.

It was a big one, fresh and mostly intact.

Soon it looked much different

 Many creatures had their way with it. Friends reported Bald Eagles stopping by to feast. Coyote tracks surrounded it on many occasions and something dragged it from the roadside out into the surrounding fields. We saw Red-tailed Hawks and the corvids, jay, crow, and raven, frequenting the field. A pair of Rough-legged Hawks started hanging around.

Rough-Legged Hawk

Soon there was really nothing left to see. Snow covered whatever bones were left, and to be honest I had mostly forgotten about it.

Then yesterday, my best birding buddy and I were out hunting photo ops and good birds. It was a day for it, with snow clinging to every blade of grass, twig and limb. Every curve in the road revealed another calendar-worthy view of Winter's best beauty pageant.

We stopped to photograph a lovely Rough-legged Hawk that floated up out of the corn stubble to land in a nearby tree, glaring at us most frightfully.

We were ready to drive away when I realized that almost next to the car was a flight of nearly forty Horned Larks, skipping and scrambling around after something in the corn.

Click me! Click me!

They did not fly. If you are a peruser of "Field birds" or "Road Birds", the Horned Larks, Snow Buntings, and Lapland Longspurs, you know how skittish they are. Approach with your car...they flit away only to land behind you, or depart altogether. Get a nice shot lined up and another car will spook them. Get out of your car with your camera and they vanish as if someone was standing by with a magic wand. Hey! Presto! Gone in a flash.

Who? Us? Never happen

However, we hadn't even seen these birds, right next to the car, as they were not flying away. They stayed all the while we shot dozens of photos and were still there when we went off in search of other goodies. They were still there in late afternoon when we headed out owling. My friend figured out what was going on... I'm sure you have guessed by now. They were rummaging around in the corn for bits of that poor deer.

It was amazing to watch them squabbling and scuffling over tufts of hair, which must have had something nourishing still clinging to them. Their jingle bell calls belied their grisly business.

Nothing is wasted out there in the wild world. Not one tiny morsel of something that can feed something else in the food chain goes to waste. By Spring there will be nothing left, except many a lingering scent, just enough for a Border Collie to take a nice roll, and come back indoors reeking of puppy perfume.

Mourning Dove

Thanks deer, for the lesson and the chance to get some goodish photos of elusive and challenging birds. You've done your part.