A (Four-Legged) Profile in Courage

Our second floor bedroom looks out into our backyard, one rimmed by large Loblolly pines, White Oaks and Maples. In the summer, it is a feast of green – so alive and nurturing of other life. I often enjoy that first glance of nature’s bounty when I open the slatted window blinds to let in the morning light.

Recently, while opening one of the blinds, something other than the verdant green of the leaves caught my attention. A mature Red Shouldered Hawk was perched in the middle of a dead limb on one of the pines, about thirty yards away from the house. I think the bird is part of the pair nesting and nurturing a fledging in a neighbor’s yard. Seeing such a large bird of prey so near is always an impressive sight.

That morning, however, I  witnessed something even more impressive: a squirrel, less than a quarter the size of the Hawk, was sitting on another close-by, dead limb in the same tree. This limb was about three feet away from the other. The squirrel was completely vulnerable to the hawk’s predation. Yet, rather than heading in another direction, the squirrel actually jumped from its perch onto the limb holding the hawk. It then ventured out to about five feet from where the hawk was perched. I sat, anxious and in some awe, awaiting an attack by the hawk. Yet, the bird did not move. The squirrel repeated it actions, jumping from limb to limb for another couple of minutes. The hawk remained, seemingly frozen in time and place.

I clapped my hands thinking I would frighten one or both of them into leaving, sparing the squirrel’s life. No response from either animal. I was astounded that the hawk did not pounce on the squirrel and equally astounded that the squirrel kept confronting the predator – without consequence.

Suddenly, and without any visible impetus, the hawk left the middle of its branch and hopped out to the very end where it sat for several minutes more. I thought it might be seeking a better vantage point to pounce on the squirrel which kept up with its daring antics in clear view of the hawk. Then, all of a sudden, the hawk flew away without a sound and the squirrel walked away to see another day.

I assumed this feisty squirrel’s overriding goal was to protect a nearby nest, even to the point of losing its life. Though the squirrel is naturally programmed to preserve future life, my respect for this four-legged creature increased tenfold after witnessing this profile in courage. Why, I might even take down that baffle on my bird feeder and let the squirrels have a go at the seed.

 June 20, 2019