# Who's boss.... Me or Mr. Hawk..



## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

THIS DARN HAWK DECIDED TO TAKE POSSESSION OF MY TEL. POLE../DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/sad.gif 










I was walking down the path that's goes back to the house to set up a track switch to park a track cleaning car and came across this guy and he met business. He flared up at me and I ran like heck.. I went in and got the camera and told the wife to come out side.. We just couldn't believe this.. He pull it out of the ballast in one piece./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/crazy.gif 










He was not going to give it up with a rake. So I went out back and got a large fish net from the back resevor that had a long handle. With that, he still did not want to let go of the tel. pole. Even with the cement on the bottom of it. After we kind of out stared each other, course with him in the fish net. I findley got him to let go of the tel. pole. Then took him out to the back fence line and laid the net down and got away from him. He Findley took off../DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/blink.gif 

Least I got my pole back and recement it back in. " A little deeper."/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/pinch.gif 

Always something happens living in the Country... Either it an Egret trying to get my Koe fish. My darn Geese out back grabbing the Cats tail and throwing her in the pond. or a Possim standing guard at the back gate on my way to feed the Catfish out back. This sure interupts my train running sometimes./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/ermm.gif 
Kind of wonder.... Are we having fun yet????


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Noel, 

What kind of a petting zoo are you running? Hawks? Possums? Biting geese? Actually, I think it is kind of funny that the geese threw the cat in the pond. 

Last night I was taking the Luke and the dog for a walk, and there was a huge red tailed hawk that I never saw until he took off, 20' ahead. He didn't go far, just up about 10' in to a tree. He was keeping an eye on me. Must have been Hawk Defiance Tuesday. 

Mark


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh! I would never have expected that! 

A few years ago a great horned owl grabbed somebody's freight car one evening.


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

A while back, I had a hawk bite the head off a figure. 








{shades of Deliverance!} 

Periodically, various figures are found out in the yard or have been moved around from their original location. Many of my plastic buildings, LGB switch motors, and roofs of stockcars left out have been chewed by something [probably squirels, but possibly rabbits] leaving tooth striations. 

Noel, it sounds like you handled a defiant hawk as well as it could have been done. 

JimC.


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## 6323 (Jan 17, 2008)

Wonder what a raccoon could do, once I'm up and running! 
Had one that came into the backyard real early in the morning. 
About the size of a small dog! Was looking for food. Or at least a way 
to get at the hanging bird feeders Mom has out back! 
Or a couple of neighborhood squirrels.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

We get raccoons here, biggins too! 

Its our proximity to the Arroyo Seco and the Rose Bowl, they come up looking for food, I use to leave the plastic cat food jug out overnight till I found it almost empty laying open on the sidewalk! Little beggers figured out how to unscrew the darn lid! More recently they got another chance but these ones werent so smart and tried jumping on it and trying to chew threw the handle but they didnt get anything. A little electrical tape on the handle and no problemo. I very dilligent about not leaving the jug out anymore and not to leave too much food out overnight, usually just enough to feed the cats in their one sitting.


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By markoles on 08/13/2008 6:04 AM
Noel, 
What kind of a petting zoo are you running? Hawks? Possums? Biting geese? Actually, I think it is kind of funny that the geese threw the cat in the pond. 
Last night I was taking the Luke and the dog for a walk, and there was a huge red tailed hawk that I never saw until he took off, 20' ahead. He didn't go far, just up about 10' in to a tree. He was keeping an eye on me. Must have been Hawk Defiance Tuesday. 
Mark




JIM CARTER.... Boy.. you have about the same problems I have.. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/blush.gif That guy never had a chance and the doggie not looking to good either.. laf/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/laugh.gif 

VSSMITH... Ya.. ***** can be a lot of problems to.. I find them once in a while at night looking for bull frogs.. and they can have a temper to. Surprising they don't leave a note on the gate what they won't for breakfast. they sure can get in to stuff. I find my feed barrow turned over with the lid off. Even with bungee cords on it. They just un hook it.. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/laugh.gif 

MARK....YUP.. Like a zoo around here. Glass in cage off of the kitchen has about 35 finches and plus babes.. Cocktails out on patio cage. and a large hex. cage for Doves by Guest house. Plus the every other stray animals that some one must of put a sign out see the "Wilson's" 

Ya.. you have to watch them Hawks.. there not afraid of anything and also, have things there way. laf. 

Toby....Guess Owes and Hawks love bright things.. but a telephone pole.. Maybe his eye site got messed up and not as big as he was think.. laf... Can't set on that one.. but, sure did not one to give it up either... 
Tks for the comeback.. I guess like i said .. Are we having fun yet...


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By markoles on 08/13/2008 6:04 AM 
Noel, 
What kind of a petting zoo are you running? Hawks? Possums? Biting geese? Actually, I think it is kind of funny that the geese threw the cat in the pond. 
Last night I was taking the Luke and the dog for a walk, and there was a huge red tailed hawk that I never saw until he took off, 20' ahead. He didn't go far, just up about 10' in to a tree. He was keeping an eye on me. Must have been Hawk Defiance Tuesday. 
Mark

Oh forgot..Mark.. We have Simamse Kats.. there not like most cats.. They have to go where you go. Even if you get in to the row boat.. they will beat you to it for a ride around the pond. 











So the fist time the Geese go her was when she ran past me on the path all wet and in the corner of my eye through I see something fiying about 4 foot in the air and yup... she was all wet.. Next time about a month later I see her between be and some Geese and Yup.. They gribed her tail and up she went in to the Pond. Now she stays behind me when going down the path to the Ho train building. Laf..


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Well, if you'd have just strung proper telephone wire between the poles, he would have just perched on that and been perfectly happy. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/tongue.gif That was merely his way of telling you to get busy. Either that, or he's just got a strange way of trying to convince you to expand service to his neck of the woods. 

Cool lookin' bird! 

Later, 

K


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

I love your Geese! More power to them!


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Noel, 

You're going to have to quit making those telephone poles out of old Christmas candy canes.  I think you're having fun though. Great story! 

As more people move up here we're having more animal run ins too. When we first moved in up here the slightest noise from the door opening would send the deer scurrying. Now you walk within a few feet of them and they don't want to move. When the deer were literally destroying my first low level railroad out here I was running them off with sticks & stones and even a pellet gun but they kept coming right back. I was digging a hole one time and looked up to see my wife standing on the porch laughing. I turned to see what she was laughing at and there was a deer not 5 feet behind me watching every move I made. Curious little buggers. hehe! 

We've had bears passing through, a couple of bobcats in broad daylight, multiple large hawks although they seem to stay off the railroad, squirrels in the house and even a couple birds, a bat downstairs, a thieving rat in my shop and neighborhood cats chasing squirrels across the roof. There are raccoons around but they keep to the creek area mostly and to a neighbor's house where cat food is left out. We used to have a lot of quail here too but they've been pretty much eliminated by the influx of cats brought in by new residents. 

I haven't had any animal intrusions of merit on the RR since I raised it on benchwork, (the deer walk under it). A little bird poop is about it. I don't leave figures or small details outside usually although I did lose a couple of small seagull figures. Maybe I need some telephone poles. hehe!


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Siamese cats are pretty cool. Could almost consider them honorary dogs!! Those geese must be in the same gang as the Hawk! Sounds like lots and lots of birds and animals out there! I like the shot of the cat in the rowboat! How big is that pond?! Maybe the cat likes the boat so he can 'spot' for Koi... 

Speaking of trains and wildlife, I had a mouse problem last winter/spring. I recently pulled my Scrooge Colleries hopper I used at Christmas out for a ride around the tracks. While operating, I noticed a small hole had been chewed out of the coal load. Upon further investigation, I found a whole bunch of hersehy's kisses in the hopper I had forgotten! Buggers had chewed through the load to get the candy. Quite a mess in there! They also decided that my wine press basket was the perfect place to eat all the birdseed!! YUCK!! 

Mark


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow! 

If hawks are anything like bald eagles, he may have wanted to let go but couldn't because he had a grip on the concrete. My understanding is that an eagle, once he grabs something, can't let go until his talons release by either going in deeper or complete the compression cycle. For example, eagles often drown because they swoop in on a nice big salmon, grab it, but then find it too heavy to fly away with. Because their talons won't release in the water they are in a bad way. They are also often hit by cars because they try to pick something off the road and find it too heavy, then a car comes along and they can't let go in time. 
Beautiful bird though, you are lucky to have seen it so close up! 


Keith


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By noelw on 08/12/2008 11:07 PM

THIS DARN HAWK DECIDED TO TAKE POSSESSION OF MY TEL. POLE../DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/sad.gif" border=0> 












Probably thought it was a good twig for building its nest.


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## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

The hawk that visited my raised track decided to use it as a dining table while he ate the finch he caught at our buffet--bird feeder. BTW, the hawk is a Merlin.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By nkelsey on 08/13/2008 12:56 PM 
The hawk that visited my raised track decided to use it as a dining table while he ate the finch he caught at our buffet--bird feeder. BTW, the hawk is a Merlin. 


Noel's hawk appears to be a Cooper's hawk fairly common to So. Cal. We have several in our area and were tracking a breeding pair (used to be on the "threatened list" I believe). They eat other small birds and I've seen them catch birds in flight. They have a very distinctive "laugh" for a call... "Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey." 










http://www.illinoisraptorcenter.org/Field Guide/cooper.html


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By markoles on 08/13/2008 11:11 AM
Siamese cats are pretty cool. Could almost consider them honorary dogs!! Those geese must be in the same gang as the Hawk! Sounds like lots and lots of birds and animals out there! I like the shot of the cat in the rowboat! How big is that pond?! Maybe the cat likes the boat so he can 'spot' for Koi... 
Speaking of trains and wildlife, I had a mouse problem last winter/spring. I recently pulled my Scrooge Colleries hopper I used at Christmas out for a ride around the tracks. While operating, I noticed a small hole had been chewed out of the coal load. Upon further investigation, I found a whole bunch of hersehy's kisses in the hopper I had forgotten! Buggers had chewed through the load to get the candy. Quite a mess in there! They also decided that my wine press basket was the perfect place to eat all the birdseed!! YUCK!! 
Mark




That the back resvor with the Kitty fish and Blue gill and turtle( one big one) cray fish and not sure what else in there.. I know it about 4 foot of fish poop from the Back yard 30 foot koe pond that keep getting deeper and deeper of poop for the last 35 or so yrs.. I use to be 8 foot deep do to two cases of beer to a back hole driver on a week end. hahahahaha. By the way there's a couple of battles of James Wine coolers that fell out of the boat one time.. Never did fine them. 

I just wanted a small pond for the Geese yrs. back and the driver got carried away now in 100 foot by 45 foot pond with an small Island. You know open mouth and insert foot I did. 

Boy smart mouse. he know where the food is even if he has to go thru coal to get to it..hahahahaha Funny.


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Richard Smith on 08/13/2008 11:10 AM
Noel, 
You're going to have to quit making those telephone poles out of old Christmas candy canes. " border=0> I think you're having fun though. Great story! 
As more people move up here we're having more animal run ins too. When we first moved in up here the slightest noise from the door opening would send the deer scurrying. Now you walk within a few feet of them and they don't want to move. When the deer were literally destroying my first low level railroad out here I was running them off with sticks & stones and even a pellet gun but they kept coming right back. I was digging a hole one time and looked up to see my wife standing on the porch laughing. I turned to see what she was laughing at and there was a deer not 5 feet behind me watching every move I made. Curious little buggers. hehe! 
We've had bears passing through, a couple of bobcats in broad daylight, multiple large hawks although they seem to stay off the railroad, squirrels in the house and even a couple birds, a bat downstairs, a thieving rat in my shop and neighborhood cats chasing squirrels across the roof. There are raccoons around but they keep to the creek area mostly and to a neighbor's house where cat food is left out. We used to have a lot of quail here too but they've been pretty much eliminated by the influx of cats brought in by new residents. 
I haven't had any animal intrusions of merit on the RR since I raised it on benchwork, (the deer walk under it). A little bird poop is about it. I don't leave figures or small details outside usually although I did lose a couple of small seagull figures. Maybe I need some telephone poles. hehe!




Now I know why you built your layout up off the ground.. hahahahaha.. 
When I was a Electician out of Nealton Wa. We rented a cabin by a lake there and our Girl still talks about the time a Moose came up one morning early and licking her bed room window. It took an hr. to come her down. Biggest tongue you ever seen. Animals will be animals and they are neat how they do things.. 

Funny how Animals have related to this train story.. Neat stuff. tks Noel & Jane


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By toddalin on 08/13/2008 1:26 PM
Posted By nkelsey on 08/13/2008 12:56 PM 
The hawk that visited my raised track decided to use it as a dining table while he ate the finch he caught at our buffet--bird feeder. BTW, the hawk is a Merlin. 


Noel's hawk appears to be a Cooper's hawk fairly common to So. Cal. We have several in our area and were tracking a breeding pair (used to be on the "threatened list" I believe). They eat other small birds and I've seen them catch birds in flight. They have a very distinctive "laugh" for a call... "Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey." 








http://www.illinoisraptorcenter.org/Field Guide/cooper.html




Now you got me laf. I'm out looks for some Hey hey hey hey sounds... haahahahaha./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/laugh.gif 

Boy they sure can be mean. I had a fight on my hand just trying to get the net over him. :/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/w00t.gif


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By noelw on 08/13/2008 2:38 PM 
Posted By toddalin on 08/13/2008 1:26 PM 
Posted By nkelsey on 08/13/2008 12:56 PM 
The hawk that visited my raised track decided to use it as a dining table while he ate the finch he caught at our buffet--bird feeder. BTW, the hawk is a Merlin. 


Noel's hawk appears to be a Cooper's hawk fairly common to So. Cal. We have several in our area and were tracking a breeding pair (used to be on the "threatened list" I believe). They eat other small birds and I've seen them catch birds in flight. They have a very distinctive "laugh" for a call... "Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey." 








http://www.illinoisraptorcenter.org/Field Guide/cooper.html

Now you got me laf. I'm out looks for some Hey hey hey hey sounds... haahahahaha./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/laugh.gif" border=0>" border=0> 
Boy they sure can be mean. I had a fight on my hand just trying to get the net over him. :/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/w00t.gif" border=0>" border=0>

Cut and paste the following link into your browser to hear the Cooper's Hawk "laugh." 
http://www.hangingrocktower.org/calls/cooper.htm


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## George SN711 (Feb 15, 2008)

Hey Noel - Sounds like you are having just TOO much fun! But you are always having fun, no wonder why we all want to come to your house to play trains. Good thing you had the fish pond or you wouldn't have had the big fish net and you never would have gotten your telephone pole back! Good job, getting the second turntable into the layout. It looks great!


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