Hawks Go To Church

crossposted 10/13/11

(click pics for larger image)
Morning comes softly over the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Sacramento. And now the drama begins.

The pigeons on top of the tower are flushed by a Red Tail Hawk (red arrow) trying to grab a fly by breakfast. Unsuccessful.

Here comes the other hawk (red arrow) hoping to nab a pigeon who hasn't seen the memo about the breakfast fly by. Again unsuccessful.

The pair of Red Tail hawks are having a meeting in a nearby Sequoia tree to discuss the breakfast situation.

As the pigeons settle in catch some more rays on the roof of the tower.

They are once again disturbed by a hawk on another breakfast fly by, note the dark blur on the left side of the pic.

Once again. Unsuccessful. I expect the hawks can do this all day. I want yell at the pigeons. I want to tell them to become Catholics and move to the roof at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament!

10/15/11 Edited to add this sequence:


A new morning. The hawk does its breakfast fly by.


And snatches a pigeon off the roof of the tower.



And flies off with it to a nearby tree. Pigeon fans do not fear. Because a few moments later the pigeon broke loose and flew out of the tree. Hopefully wiser.

I like my new camera. Its a Lumix with 16X zoom and a bunch of features that make it a little magic picture box.

That's my corner of the world!
Franco Rios

For Five Days

88th American Rabbit Breeders Association Convention and National Show
October 29 to November 2, 2011

Good luck to everyone who is going!
http://racetoindy.com/

Oakland urban farmers fight for right to raise food

Urban farmers fighting to take back their right to raise their own food in Oakland!


"Should Oakland's backyard farmers raise and kill animals for food?"
Article: Sacramento Bee 10/9/2011

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/10/09/3970061/should-oaklands-backyard-farmers.html

Be sure to add your comments to the article if you feel inclined to do so!

Have a joyful day!

Rabbit trips up chef

News from MasterChef Ireland contest.
I wish there was pictures but just the brief description makes me want to go to Dublin.
Have a good day!

Click for article:
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/kfqlauaukfid/rss2/

Beagles are legal

Beagles are legal for hunting rabbits in California.
In case you don't want to use firearms.
Have a good day!

Click for article:
http://www.willows-journal.com/sports/fish-7285-legal-asked.html

ARBA is us!

ARBA is comprised of all the the dues paying members. Those of us who are ARBA need to get involved. When California Senate Bill 917 putting restrictions on rabbit sales went to the legislature for a vote, ARBA President Mike Avesing heard about it from ARBA members and issued a call to action requesting all ARBA members to contact the California legislature to lobby against the bill. We are ARBA. We are mobilizing. We are going to take action. Mike Avesing is with us and so are other leaders, directors, and committee members. If we want ARBA to get more involved then we need to get involved with ARBA.

ARBA is not there to do things for us, ARBA is us. We need to do these things. Contact your director today. Contact the clubs you belong to and the clubs where you show rabbits and cavies. Get involved with running the shows. Help with setting up and taking down. Help with watching each other's animals.

Roll up your sleeves and become an ARBA activist.

Have a good day!

Red American Rabbit

(photo: Red, White, Blue American rabbits, photo by Allen Mesick used by permission)

I saw a picture posted by Alan Messick on Facebook showing a Red, a White, and a Blue American from Chris Hemp displayed at Crescent City CA rabbit show.

The American rabbit breed is one of the rarest in the USA and only is recognized in Blue and White. Some people have been suggesting the development of a Red variety in the breed so the American breed could come in Red, White, Blue which is the colors of the flag of USA! Seeing an actual Red rabbit from the American  breed is a surprise and a delight!


Some people think we should practice saving the white and blue and perfecting it before bringing in another variety. They are a very rare breed and we should do everything to help bring there numbers up.

People are breeding more Americans than they were before. The current crop of American breeders are saving the blue and white by driving breeding stock all over the country in the last two years. They have adopted strategies like using blacks as blue carriers to increase the number blues. They have been crossing whites and blues then culling out the unwanted colors. They are working the breed like crazy. If somebody wants to push the envelope and develop a new variety then more power to them. Chris Hemp has been promoting Blues and Whites for about six years. So if anybody knows how to make a Red American it would be Chris. I applaud her efforts! Look how excited people are about a possible new variety of American! That's how to promote a breed.

Well done Chris!

Have a joyful day!