Yesterday, I came upon a red-tailed hawk sitting in a tree.  She was about 60 feet from the ground, on a branch in full view, looking as if she couldn’t quite decide what to have for lunch, a neighbor’s cat or the anthropologist gazing witlessly up at her. 

It was a thrilling experience…and a terrifying one.  Up close, there was no mistaking that this raptor was a killing machine. 

I was joined by an attractive woman who was out walking her two dogs.  I pointed out the hawk and she assumed her best "Polly wanna a cracker" tone and said to the hawk, "squawk! who’s a beautiful birdie, squawk!."

Zut alors!   She was hailing a magnificent, alarming bird of prey with an imitation of Elmer Fund talking to a parrot.  No…I can’t imagine either…