Photographs of nature, places and objects that have caught my eye.

Φωτογραφίες απο την φύση, απο τόπους και αντικείμενα που μου χτύπησαν στο μάτι.

Friday, August 31, 2012

The hawk in Crete. Το γεράκι στην Κρήτη.

The story is something like this. Someone found the young hawk at the side of the street. It had fallen probably off the nest. He took it to a small slaughterhouse that was close, where it was adopted by the people working there. They had it free after it started flying around and nearby, they were feeding it with what they could from where they were working, which as you can understand was plenty. Now the hawk is flying around all the time, when the people hear it screeching above, they come out with something to offer, a piece of meat, lung or liver, they whistle and throw it in the air. And the hawk catches it has an easy meal.
Someone called me when I was in Crete, and I went there with my camera and the 70-300mm lens.
There are two things I worry about. First thing is that the hawk is dependent on the people working there for its meals as I am not sure as it has learnt to hunt by itself and second, is that now the hunting period has started and some retarded -there are plenty of the kind everywhere- might think that the hawk might be good for target practice.
Η ιστορία έχει περίπου ως εξής: Κάποιος βρήκε το νεαρό γεράκι στο δρόμο και το πήρε σε ένα μικρό σφαγείο εκεί κοντά. Εκεί το υιοθέτησαν οι εργαζόμενοι και το μεγάλωσαν με τα προιόντα του σφαγείου.Τώρα που το γεράκι έχει μεγαλώσει και πετάει στην περιοχή γύρω από το σφαγείο, μόλις το ακούσουν να κράζει από πάνω, βγαίνει κάποιος, του σφυρίζει και πετάει κανένα κομάτι κρέας ή πλεμόνι στον αέρα. Το γεράκι το αρπάζει και εξασφαλίζει έτσι ένα γεύμα χωρίς κόπο. Τώρ που ήμουν στην Κρήτη με πήρα τηλέφωνο και πήγα κι εγώ στο σφαγείο με την φωτογραφική μου μηχανή και τον φακό 70-300 χιλ.
Μ' απασχολούν δυο πράγματα όμως. Το πρώτο είν αι πως το γεράκι αυτό δεν έχει μάθει να κυνηγά μόνο του, και εξαρτάται από τους ανθρώπους για την τροφή του και το άλλο που μ' απασχολεί είναι πως τώρα που αρχίζει η περίοδος του κυνηγιού,  μπορεί κάποιος καθυστερημένος-και δυστυχώς υπάρχουν παντού αρκετοί απο το είδος-, σκεφτεί πως το γεράκι είναι εύκολος στόχος.

11 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

he is really beautiful. i hope he survives.

Sylvia K said...

Such a beautiful bird! I have the same fears for him that you do, Costas, and I do hope he learns to hunt on his own! Wonderful captures as always! Have a great weekend!

Sylvia

Δημητρης said...

Γειά σου Κώστα.
Οι φωτογραφίες υπέροχες.
Η ιστορία θλυβερή.Ελπίζω το ένστικτό του να λειτουργήσει σωστά.
Εναλλακτική λύση είναι να σταλεί σε κάποιο κέντρο προστασίας (στην Αίγινα???) όπου περιθάλπουν αγρια πτηνά.
Χάρηκα που βλέπω και πάλι τίς φωτογραφίες σου.
Καλό Σαββατο-Κύριακο..

Rob Siemann said...

Who would want to kill such a beautiful creature? But yes, you're right, plenty of them around. Everywhere. Never really understood why people hunt, when it is not for food. Animals.

Magia da Inês said...

♡✿彡╮
Não gosto de quem caça, principalmente por esporte, não faz sentido matar uma animal desse jeito.
Bom fim de semana!
Beijinhos.
Brasil
•°♫¸.♪♫°

Unknown said...

Such a majestic creature - long life to you! Wonderful photos, as always. F

Traveling Hawk said...

Nice story and photos, Costas!

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Costs, your concers are valid and while the people who saved the young hawk did well, the continual feeding may very well be his downfall. And, then there is the definite threat of someone harming it because it is a bird of prey. Hopefully, it will survive and move on to hunt elsewhere.

Montanagirl said...

Gorgeous bird! You managed some very nice photos of him. Hope he learns to hunt on his own.

Pat Tillett said...

I hope it ends well for the hawk. You are right, when man and wild animal come together, the animal usually suffers in some way.

Richard said...

Great encounter, maybe once in a life time, Costas! Have a great week!