Osprey
 

We are hoping to get a courtyard villa
because of the high fence. We have
two little, 10 pound white dogs who
will probably be playing in the backyard.
Someone mentioned that there are a
lot of osprey that sometimes prey on
rabbits rather than fish. Now I am
worried about my dogs because they
could be easily mistaken for rabbits
from an osprey's eyes.

Any information would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks so much,

WCS

Hi WCS,

We have a small white (half-Maltese) doggy too. We have a home than partially backs up to a villa wall.

There are many big birds of prey in the area - including hawks, eagles and osprey. I think osprey are the least to be concerned with as they generally eat small fish.

Most of the folks behind in the CYVs let their little doggies out alone loose. We choose not to, mainly because our lot gets wide at the back and opens onto a golf course. There is far more visibility in our yard than in a courtyard with the walls on 3 sides and the villa, itself, on the fourth. We are afraid that a predator could spot Finley from a distance.

Not sure if this helps, maybe you could reach out to UF to get more info?

Ospreys would be my least concern. Saw 1 Sunday with a 4 ft snake that it took to a nest on Lake Harris. Any other time I've only seen them with fish.

As Katezbox mentioned, there are eagles, hawks and owls that routinely hunt small prey in all parts of The Villages.

DO NOT leave your dogs unattended in the yard. I also have small dogs (one is white) and the hawks zero in on her all the time and start coming in closer to our yard. In the evening, owls will pick up a small dog, too. So be sure to be outdoors at all times with your pets and keep an eye on the sky. These birds fly silently and you will not know they are above you if you don't look up.

A CYV is a great solution in TV for those of us with dogs. If you have a birdcage that extends past your lanai, you can grow a patch of grass inside the cage. That is the best solution if you want to leave your little ones outdoors without being right next to them. You can also put a doggie door from inside the house out to the birdcage.

But DON'T leave them outside a birdcage without being with them. Even when I am with my dogs outdoors in the back yard of my CYV, sometimes I have to take them indoors when the birds come so low. Even when I wave my arms and make noise, it doesn't scare those big birds away. Please be careful.

Watch: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3NkJN1ircQ[/ame]

if you listen to the worrywarts on this forum youll walk around scared to death of either a sinkhole,lightening,predators,roundabouts,dogs in the squares,alligators etc etc etc....i have a little yorkie-poo who commands our cyv backyard on a golf course and the only danger so far was an errant golf ball. so rest assured this is a very nice safe place to live. only the wild imaginations on this forum should you fear!:welcome:

Red Tail,

I am the furthest thing from a worrywart that you will ever meet. Also, I am a very optimistic person and not looking for negative where it does not exist. My imagination is not wild. Maybe one day, I'll video those birds for you swooping down on my backyard checking out my dogs. Some people don't believe bad things can happen until it is too late.

I pray that your little dog stays safe.

Mrs. K9

Worrywarts? Just because you might not have experienced something doesn't mean it can't or doesn't happen.

I'm glad your little pooch hasn't had any dangerous encounters. There was this rabbit in my yard a while back, I posted about it....being chased by a rather hungry hawk. This went on for a few minutes. That rabbit wasn't little, wasn't big, but it was going to be lunch without a doubt. A small dog could also be lunch.

Everyplace one lives has some dangerous conditions and one needs to be aware of them and make the proper adjustments to live with these conditions. It's not going to stop one from living and enjoying themselves, but hopefully avoid some heartache.

I agree Mrs. K9. Those birds have to eat too and they're doing what comes naturally.

My mother in law lived in Sabal Chase for a while and her neighbor behind her had caged birds, two cockatiels. One day they were outside on the lanai, suddenly they were screaming. Seems a bird of prey was just "hanging" around the outside of the lanai cage, eyeing those two birdies.

My little guy in the picture above was stalked by a coyote while we lived up north. Coyotes have been seen in TV as well as bob cats, hawks, eagles and owls. It is not overreacting to say that these little dogs need to be watched while outside. In my yard we have a daily visit by an extremely large hawk who feeds on the mourning doves as well as rabbits. So many of us have lived lives removed from nature and have no idea what can happen to domestic animals when hungry birds of prey as well as coyotes and bob cats live all around us. The thread here on TOTV about bald eagles with a live video cam has shown the eagles feeding their eaglets ducks as well as squirrels and large fish. We lost the buffalo to this kind of attitude; my neighbor was head butted by one when he tried to lean over the fence to feed a huge buffalo.:shocked: Another day I watched a grown man and a child climb a fence at Palmer to get a better look at an alligator sunning himself.
The height of ignorance.:(

alligators and snakes contrary to old wives tales....will run when encountered by humans. alligators when fed by humans may not run but generally they are not a danger.

Not to get off track, but I think you point out something that not too many have had to think about duffysmom...many might not have encountered some of the "wildlife" we now live amongst. When we lived in CA, a colleague of hubby and colleague's wife, lost his little Doxie to a coyote that jumped their fence, grabbed the little dog and then jumped back over. This happened right in front of them. They were beyond heartbroken. We had coyotes walking through our neighborhood in CA and it was far from rural. Kitties were a favorite food of the wild beasts.
Ah, nature, it's all around us and we have to remember that wildlife is just that, wild and they will do what they naturally do and that could include hunting our domesticated pets.

I've forgotten my manners, Welcome westcoastsunshine. You'll love it here!

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...196427,00.html

http://www.narutoforums.com/archive/.../t-672485.html

http://www.squidoo.com/killer_gators

Red Tail, these alligators didn't run away, they ran or swam toward their prey.

i give up ladies..... live your fantasies....

Obviously, you need to do more research. We'll expect a 1000 word report by the end of the week. :D With footnotes. Signed: Anxiously awaiting an apology.

:popcorn:

Bill :)

When our oldest daughter lived in Apopka she and her hubby would hear awful screeches and howls at night and neighborhood cats that were outdoor types would go missing! She would see hawks flying low over their neighborhood in the evenings.
Pooh...that is so sad for the owners of the Doxie!!!! I couldn't imagine! I would be devastated to see that! We had our Dachshund Rocky for 14+ years and he was, like the pets of many TOTV folks, part of the family. We have a 13 year young cat, Muffin, now and am hoping he'll make it to The Villages with us. He will NOT be going outside with the birds of prey, snakes and gators! I am not sure if I will be going outside with them either! :22yikes:

Love your reply K9
 

:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

I've posted a big hawk in our birdbath just waiting for dinner to walk by....Will see if I can dig it up again

whatever you do dont come. this is an extremely dangerous place!!!!!!!!!

Here is a pic of hawk in LaZamora
 

Just waiting for dinner to walk by!

http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/a...inb-bath-1.jpg

red tail...Yes, the sarcasim is killing me already! :wave:

I'm no ornithologist, but I think that's a photo of a red tailed hawk. And the "don't worry" post is from "red hawk"? Could it be? And a comment made by "HawkeyeBarb"? Is TOTV being overrun by hawks?

It's only dangerous if you're not aware, red tail. Once the "dangers" are known, each person can decide how they'll deal with them. I deal with them one way , you deal with them in another way.

:eek::shocked::icon_wink:

Not sure I am a worrywart - but definitely am pragmatic...while I don't live in fear of attack by gators, snakes, raptors, etc. I wouldn't want to get in their way, either...

Haw(k) Haw(k) Haw(k). :1rotfl:

Great response, Pooh!

Westcoastsunshine, Welcome to the east coast sunshine!! You're a good and wise mom to be careful with beloved pet. Just use your common sense and good instincts and you and your 10 lb pooch will thrive here.

Love,
Pturner and her almost-8-lb. Bogey :doggie:

Actually, the name is "red TAIL" not red hawk. I'm thinking more of a baboon than a bird. :boom:

(of course I am just kidding around, red).

:1rotfl:

Wouildn't a bird of prey take advantage of hunting whatever smaller creature was easily available for the taking be it a rabbit, squirrel, kitty or small dog? The hawk or owl isn't going to stop and think, now this is someone's pet, so I cannot make a meal out of it. Birds of prey and coyotes have eaten people's pets in suburban Chicago, especially in the forest preserves and more outlying suburbs. I wouldn't let my small dog or cat outside unattended.

osprey
 

While I am not exactly a worry-wart, and despite a few occasions when my actions clearly dispute Darwin's theories on natural selection/survival of the species, I am reasonably prudent when it comes to safeguarding my family, my pet, and myself from dangers of any nature.

Maybe it's me but I'm thinking it rather irresponsible for an adult to lift a child over a fence just to get a more up close and personal look at a gator.

Red tail is correct, generally speaking, most wild animals will retreat rather than confront a human. Generally, but not always...and one "not always" is a definite life-changer, if not a possible a life-ender.

Alligators and certain snakes can kill you, or at least mess up your day.

Birds of prey- emphasis on prey- will swoop in and snatch away one's furry, four-legged child if that pet is a convenient target.

When it comes to appreciating wildlife, an appropriate balance of curiosity:caution, wonder:logic would serve most folks quite well.

Getting close to Nature can be a wondrously beautiful experience; getting close to fauna that considers me a dining option...not so much.

Where's that hawk when you need one?
 

Although I have seen a hawk (or something) attack and take off with a mourning dove from my backyard, there is a rabbit (and where there's one . . .) in our neighborhood that has been eating my plants since last fall.

I'm a gardener, and have had to block all the corners of our CYV with gutter guard wire, and pavers under our gate since last fall. Rabbit ate my sugar snap peas down to the ground, some lettuce, peppers, basil, thyme, etc., until I blocked every opening. After months, I finally saw a rabbit down the street while walking the dog. Fastest rabbit I've ever seen.

So yes, the birds of prey are a threat to small animals, but I think the odds are with the small animals. It would be the exception to have a small dog carried off, but I suppose it could happen. I'd be more concerned living by a pond or an open area.

There are hawks up north too, you know.

:BigApplause: Well said...

"There are hawks up north too, you know."

Yes, there are... and I would never let Finley out alone there either...

Do you own a small dog?

Hawks have to eat, too.

Keep Fluffy on a short leash when you walk her and there will be no problem at all. Let Fluffy run in the weeds by pond areas and there sure could be a problem - and not from hawks.

Best idea is to keep Fluffy in the house until she needs to go outside and then only on a leash. People in houses do this. Courtyard villa owners - do what you want - at your own risk.

Remember, hawks, raccoons, venomous snakes, and coyotes are all wild animals and they were here first.

for the record a red tail hawk can carry a third of its body weight. a red tail hawk typically weighs 4 to 7 lbs. do the math!

a great horned owl can carry around 3 lbs.

a bald eagle can carry up to 10 or 12 lbs.

so if you see any bald eagles hanging around your yard maybe, and i mean maybe, he may be a threat. certainly not something to keep you awake at night though.

Well I guess that means
 

That with my "healthy" long-haired dachshund, that red tail hawk would have to make three trips....Yipsters!!!!

Not to pick a nit, but actually, a red tail can carry a jackrabbit which can be double the redtail's weight.

only in tasty little 2 lb pieces

LOL.....probably so.

Actually they generally swoop in, kill, sometimes take their "lunch" with them, but many times, eat on the spot so to speak.

They are indeed beautiful raptors, aren't they!

you are correct... they usually eat it on the spot, try and use carry out only if absolutly necessary!