Circle of Life

When we left the house for an after-dinner walk, we were treated to a gruesome sight. There was a small patch of dried blood on the driveway with a few feathers stuck to it. Next to the driveway, several dozen downy feathers were caught in the grass. It was obviously the remnants of what was once a bird.

I wondered what would be the most likely predator. The area doesn't have any bushes or tall grass, so there wasn't anywhere for a cat or dog to hide

Based on the scarcity of the remains, I suspect it was the work of a raptor. Last summer we saw a hawk in the neighbor's yard, and last week there was a huge bird of prey perched in a tree as I drove down the road on my way to work.

The yard next to ours has a large tree in it. I wonder if that's where the raptor hid to plan its attack? I'm glad I wasn't there to see it!