A rabbit in a tree?!

“Today, PatchyG and I hiked near Blue Marsh Lake. While we wandered through a wooded section of trail, I saw some strange furry "creature" in a tree up ahead. Slowly, we approached to get a closer look...
It didn't move and as I got closer I saw that it was a rabbit...or at least part of it. The pelt and head, minus ears, were left - picked completely clean. I am guessing it was some lucky hawk's dinner, but it was situated in such a way, that it's head was looking right at me! weird, but kinda cool to see.

So, what are some strange things you have seen on the trail?”

“Do you have a picture of that becuase I would like to see that?”

“I love to take pictures of dead animals....

NO...I guess I don't!”

“I like to see things as they happen in the wild ya know what I mean thats why I want to see a picture of that......It would be even better if they saw the bird that did that eating it....Now that would be way cool...”

“A couple of months ago while running on the Lehigh towpath, I noticed a bunch of squirrels playing about 30 yards ahead of me. All of a sudden a red-tail hawk swooped down and snatched one of them and did it's thing with it in a tree almost where I stopped. I happened to have my digi in my fanny pack and got a pic of it.

Poor Rocky
You asked for it Crazy Mike!”

“Way cool...............Thank you........:)”

“Nice pic!”

“Yeah, but Rocky begs to differ.”

“No doubt.”

“But that is how life is....Sometimes you win sometimes well you become food....”

“Silly rabbit!”

“Trix's are for kids....:)”

“Cool Pic!”

“I've seen hawks fly off with their unlucky prey. It's an awesome sight to behold, kind'of like watching a snake swallow a frog. But to see/find the dead carcass hanging in a tree...not THAT's funny! =80”

“Not funny cool...Thats all I'm in to stuff like that....”

“Imagin sitting in your office at work, going about your business, typing away - WHAM - RIP - next thing you know your neck is broken and you're hangin' over a branch...”

“Pennsy - Great picture..you were in the right place at the right time..that's what I call perfect timing!”

“Cool....:)”

“Sometimes you get lucky. It was shocking enough to see the hawk swoop down that close, but more shocking was that he stayed so close after the kill.

One of my favorite sights was watching a bald eagle "fishing" at Merrill Creek. The way he dive bombed straight down to the water was amazing. He did it several times before he came up with a fish but unfortunately no cam that day.”

“LMAO Big Coop!! >:D

Great pic, pennsy. I've seen your website - You've got talent!

In October, we were kayaking on the lake and saw an Osprey swoop down and scoop up a fish. Through binoc, we watched him eating it. It was cool. Nature at its finest...”

“What Coop?

You don't have a manager at work?”

“LOL Big Coop! However, you just described a typical day at good ole GPU (or Gyp You as we fondly call it).

Awwwww.... thanks Amy. :-) I haven't mentioned my site here because I use 3rd party sites for the wallpaper downloads which are in zip format and you get some annoying pop-ups. I need to update it though. I don't have any of my bp related images up yet.”

“Uncle sam doesnt give me the painless neck snap. Its more of a slow constriction method.”

“Apparently my scenario was not all that imaginary...

Pennsy - Hawks are fantastic creatures and I think you captured that in your pic.”

“great pic”

“Excellent photo, very nice hawk and a very poor dead squirrel.”

“I think it is cool to see stuff like that in the wild...:)”

“what kinda cam was that?..love the pic quality and the zoom..cause i don't think you were THAT close..lol”

“Pennsy - I loved your pics from the Lakota preserve. I've camped there a few times (good access to Sunfish Pond from there.)

I love to camp where I can hear the wolves howling at night. :o)”

“There is a us bank building across from where I work. A bunch of pigeons usually hang out there. One day a hawk of some sort came flying in like an F-14 and grabbed one of the pigeons and had him for lunch. I watched the whole event transpire from my desk. Pretty cool.”

“Ahh, the brutality of nature. that is a great photo pennsy.


My best dead animal pic:

Elk remains, Yellowstone Wolf Kill>”

“I get a forbidden message with that link.

Wolf Kill, Elk, Yellowstone”

“Path, tried that link but no permission.

Last August, my wife an I were staying at Lake Hotel in Yellowstone. While looking out the window of our room towards Yellostone Lake, I watched a Bald Eagle swoop down and grap a trout the size of my leg and fly off to eat it. Awesome!!

A while later I was standing bu the same window and another eagle rose straight up from below. It was like it was on an elevator.

Another time I was working in one of oil fields in Colorado and a hawk swooped down within 25 yards and grabbed a ground squirrel.”

“Lots of raptor lovers here it looks like. Cool!

Thanks for all the comps. The pic was taken with a Nikon CoolPix 995. The lens is a 35mm equiv of 38-152mm (4x). I was pretty darn close, about 25 feet. No, I didn't creep up on him. That's where he decided to perch.

Thanks Amy! I have a bunch of pics of the wolves that I haven't put up yet. I really love that place, and camping there hearing the wolves howling at night really is a thrill.”

“Way cool pathman....”

“Not much left of that elk once the wolves are through with it.”