Four Hawks in the backyard on Monday

[Rob'in'To]

Having a day off, enjoying some time at home, and those who visit my feeders.  Well, chaos started with one Sharp Shin Hawk early in the day.  I got a really good look at him and have no doubts on this one being so.  He wasn't much bigger than a Blue Jay.  And a bold little killer too!  He stood his ground with me, staring me down in the cedars.

A few hours later, not sure if this was the female counter-part of the first Hawk or a male Coopers?  It was definitely larger than the first, and it caught itself a Starling down at the back, and was eating it in the apple tree.  I stayed inside, not wanting to spook it, and have it abandon it's kill.  I tried to get some photos but from a dirty winter worn window with 100 ft between us (not easy).  As the Hawk tore the Starling up, other birds began to show up at the feeders again.  I guess they knew they were safe?

Then, towards the end of the afternoon, I went outside once again to fill the nyjer feeders (thanks to an insane amount of Goldfinches and Siskins).  I am covered by the cedars and suddenly the Squirrels are all freaking out, clinging to the tree trunks, and making that crying noise.  I step out in the open to see what was up and two Red-tail Hawks were circling the yard.  They stayed for a few minutes, scoping the grounds (I guess?) and then moved on.

Today, I see one Hawk just over the trees at the back and 4 Crows were on it's tail and what looked like a small flock of Starlings.

Who needs television with such excitement?

[Raven11:11]

where do you live?

[angieinto]

We live around the Scarlett and St. Clair area, about 3 minutes from Lampton Woods. People are amazed when they hear about all the different birds we get in our yard.

[Raven11:11]

with all the golf course sand ravines , humber, etc... no wonder.

ps. I posted a while ago when i personally saw a fully grown coyote run across the finish line at the Woodbine racetrack after the horses completed a race.  yup, seconds after, poor guy was hiding in the hen bushes behind the huge display. today there is a fence around th entire track and permit-er ....

I have seen crazier.  But only my closest and childhood friends would nod yes as they saw some of the things witnessed by me... too weird to fathom.

[Rob'in'To]

It stuns me what can be seen in the Toronto area.  I had no idea of this area until we started paying attention to the birds about 6 years ago.  At last count from about a year ago, we've seen 39 species of birds in the backyard or sighted from it, errrrrrr, above it.

That's pretty crazy about the Coyote at the racetrack!

I've seen Deer on the side of Scarlett by the ESSO station.  It freaked me out the first time, being about 2:30am, and seeing pairs of bright green eyes looking at me as I drove towards them.  It just seemed so out of place even as I knew the humber trail is right there.

[JW Mills]

I've seen Deer on the side of Scarlett by the ESSO station.

This must be fairly common as there are Deer Crossing signs posted on that section of Scarlett Road!

[Leslie]

It stuns me what can be seen in the Toronto area. I had no idea

And it's so important to preserve habitat.