Thursday, November 09, 2006

Bird Omen

Yesterday, when I went to put the dogs out first thing in the morning, I saw this:

The bird did not stir when the three dogs rushed out the door. I shood them in immediately and went upstairs to get my glasses and grabbed my camera. When I returned, the bird had not moved. It looked dead, as though it had somehow been impaled on the fence post to my veggie garden.

I took a few more photos:




I crept closer. Its eyes were half-closed, and it was all squished in on itself. The flatness of its head struck me. I could tell that the bird was at least as big as my cat when stretched out. As I crept closer (mostly because I really was not eager to see the specifics of an impaled bird), it suddenly flew up and turned into the big bird I thought it might be. I let out a gruff little scream. It flew to a nearby tree.

It was a hawk. A hawk in my very urban back yard (close to the highway, close to St. Charles and a loud dairy factory). Now, I was raised with Native American beliefs; it would be said that the hawk could be my spirit animal and that it was there to say something to me. And so there is no question: this bird is an omen. With those deep-rooted thoughts in my mind, I was unnerved in addition to the elation I felt after I got over the startled feeling.

Well Ma, what do you think? Have I outgrown the spirit animal you gave me whenI was a kid?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

well, Nik, you can't outgrow a spirit animal, but new ones can be shown or discovered when you are ready for it...Hawk represents Messenger, akin to Mercury, which happens to be the ruling planet for your sun sign! This is a definite real thing. Congratulations. It appears to remind you to be observant, to look at your surroundings, observe the obvious in all that you do...life is sending you signals. More info to share if you wish...love, Ma

NolaNik said...

I sure it'll get the mice....

And thanks, Ma. That's what my instinct was, what with the keen eyes and all.

TravelingMermaid said...

I love it when I see animals/birds unexpectedly.
I just clicked on your mom's site - I am sooooo excited! :)

Unknown said...

NolaNik--love those photos!--that was a Night Hawk--they roost on flat roof buildings in cities and they eat only flying insects. Once I was walking near my office in midtown Manhattan and one was sitting right in the doorway of my office building. I could see it was exhausted (nothing to roost on there but huge skyscrapers--and it couldn't get up high enough!)I picked it up and took it on a ride on the subway downtown to The Village. It flew out of my arms and up to the top of a nearby townhouse. Thet fly at night and have a cry that they give while they are flying...AR