Winter Hawk

I was walking past the garden today and saw several people gathered at the fence near the new japanese maple. They were watching what they thought was an injured or trapped bird in the garden. It was a hawk, flopping around on the ground not 10 feet from the fence that had just captured a small rat (large mouse?) and looked like he/she was toying with its prey. One woman at the fence wished the hawk would put the rat out of its misery. Finally, it flew off with the rat (still alive) in its talons.

Nature in action, in the heart of the city.