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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | NOVEMBER 2023 41 Birding CLUB Many of us like to think that birds we see are beautiful, often majestic flashes of color with a song that brighten our days. But there is a group of birds that show a different side: the birds of prey. This category refers to carnivorous birds that feed on other animals. Their other name, raptor, means "to seize or take by force." Birds of prey are fast and strong, with eyes that can find their victims from far away. They have talons that can grab and kill, and beaks designed for tearing flesh. The Great Horned Owl, whose picture we have featured in previous articles, is a bird of prey spotted regularly in the community. They have keen eyesight and hearing, and make great use of secrecy and stealth, camouflaged where they roost during the day, often on Trails A and B, and at night as they swoop down to hunt for tasty rodents, frogs, snakes, small birds, and even skunks. (Their sense of smell isn't that great, apparently…) Another raptor of Potrero Creek is the Cooper's Hawk that nests frequently near The Lodge. The adults are easy to see with their large heads, broad rounded wings, and long tails. On our club walks, we have even spotted some baby fledglings as they took off from their cottonwood tree nest and learned to fly. These same trees have also been the resting place for a large group of migrating Swainson's Hawks on their way to their winter home in Argentina, and for an intimidating flock of Turkey Vultures on their way through our area. So don't forget to look up to the sky and trees around you for some of the thrills provided by birds of prey. For more information about the Four Seasons Birding Club, please contact Gerrie Karczynski at gerrie201516@gmail.com. ~ Kathy Hull Our Book Club selection for Nov. 14 is Cooking for Picasso by Camille Aubray. Here is a brief description provided by Doug Streuber, who will be leading the discussion: "In the spring of 1936, Pablo Picasso flees Paris, his wife, and his mistress for a picturesque seaside Provencal village (true story!). There, he lives and paints quietly under an assumed name. Seventeen-year-old Ondine is assigned by her parents, who run a local eatery, to cook lunch for this stranger patron every day in his villa. She records his culinary likes and dislikes and is gradually drawn into a life-changing relationship; she learns about art and he teaches her that cooking is art as well. Intertwined in this story is a secondary, modern-day narrative, featuring Ondine's granddaughter, Celine, as she learns that her grandmother once cooked for Picasso. Celine travels to France, trying to learn about the relationship, while ostensibly taking a cooking course run by a famously temperamental chef. The author produces a vivid and interesting picture of Picasso and doesn't shy away from his personal entanglements. The parts of the novel set in Provence are full of enjoyable descriptions, particularly of Picasso's painting and of French cuisine. As part of the Book Club discussion, we will look at the paintings Picasso worked on during this escape, including his masterpieces Guernica and Les Demoiselles d'Avignon." Our meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 9:30 am in the RCN Room 3, and someone volunteers to lead the discussion about the book we have chosen for the month. For more information about the Four Seasons Book Club or to get your name on our mailing list, please contact me at michelesrosen@gmail.com. ~ Micki Rosen Book Club Cooper's Hawk at Four Seasons, picture by Gerrie Karczynski Cooper's Hawk at Four Seasons, picture by Linda Miller Turkey Vultures at Four Seasons, picture by Kathy Hull