Great shot Grant!
I'm by no means a Hawk expert, these are just my own thoughts on the subject.
The very second that I looked at the photo I said to myself "Oh cool, a Sharpie!" I've been fortunate enough to have had countless 'up close' sightings (incl. many views in my own backyard) of Cooper's Hawks in recent years but pretty much ziltch 'up close' sightings of Sharp-shinneds. The overall appearance of this bird suggests to me something not much bigger than a Pigeon. I would even go as far as saying that judging by the size of the leaves (they would be fairly small at this time of year) on the branch that's out in front of the bird that this is not a very big bird, hawk-wise - maybe that's reaching a bit!!! Anyway, the head shape, eye, and beak all come across to me as small giving the bird a cute little face (as cute as a Kestrel!!!) I think given the position of the tail feathers in this photo, they all look to be roughly the same length. When spread out just slightly, as Sharpies do, they would appear to be quite squared-off.
Enough yak from me, please anyone correct me, I'm still learning myself.
Walter
