All Over Albany

Today's moment of wildlife

While walking along Myrtle Ave near South Main Ave in Albany Monday afternoon, we heard this faint whooshing sound and then looked back to see this hawk swoop past, not more than a foot away, as it tried -- unsuccessfully -- to pluck a squirrel from the street.

The squirrel took refuge under a parked car and let out a loud series of chirps, that we understand to mean, roughly translated: "HOLY @#$%^&* @#$%, DID YOU SEE THAT?!?!"

We had a roughly similar reaction.

After missing out on the squirrel, the hawk took a perch on a nearby second-floor porch where it promptly let loose an enormous poop on the house steps below. (If you live on Myrtle and encountered a strangely large bird turd on your front steps upon your arrival home Monday... now you know.)

A minute later the hawk took flight again, this time to check out some flattened squirrel remains in the street, stopping a car that was traveling along Myrtle. The hawk seemed unhurried by this situation, and after a few beats lazily took flight again to a nearby house gutter to watch the street again.

(A few pics after the jump, if you're curious.)

Look up for the photos

They're above in large format -- click or scroll all the way up.