Backyard Terror

[Rob'in'To]

So, I've been watching a Sharp-shinned Hawk buzzing around my backyard and chasing all the little birdys for the past couple weeks.  I had one last winter for a while until the Coopers pair and also Red-tail pair started coming around.

The Sharpie is a bold little guy while the bigger Hawks take off at first sight of me.  I can almost walk up to this little Hawk now some mornings without too much trouble.  And other days I just know he's out there with the backyard being so quiet.

Thursday I went out and was filling up the feeders.  The weather is still decent so my little princess of a cat joins me...  she is on a leash and harness with a good 25 ft of leash to roam about.  Well, Meadow is sitting near the fence, staring off into next door's yard at some House Sparrows hopping about when suddenly out of the pines right behind my house comes the little Sharpie and he's going right for Meadow.  The Hawk is coming down, talons out, right at my cat...  but I guess he realized she was too big and he veered up and off over to the yard next door.  He sits himself near their clothes line set-up for a couple minutes and now has Meadow's attention.  So what does this Hawk do now?  Decides to take another shot at her!  He swoops down, talons out again, and Meadow is thinking "Oh boy, a bird wants to play!" and she positions herself to jump at him.  And once again the Hawk flies up and lands on a branch right above my head.  He starts letting off these little chirps, stares at me, stares at Meadow, and a few minutes later off he goes.  

What's up with this Hawk?  Is he that hungry?  That stupid?  Or trying some sort of territorial thing with us?

I watched a Sharpie a couple summers ago attack the Squirrels.  He did the same thing this one did with Meadow...  fly down, talons out and the fly up.

Today he was out there looking pretty relaxed in the neighbour's cedars next door at the back.  I watched him for a bit while I did my feeder filling.

Thanks for reading, here are a couple shots...

All I could think at this moment was "please do not poop on me"


A bit of a stare down between us.


And this one is from today, being the closest I have ever been to a Sharp-shinned Hawk.

[JW Mills]

Cool!

[lovemypt]

nice find Rob... I have a pair of red-tails and the odd Coopers in my neighborhood but not one like this ........my squirrel population has exploded this year....they are eating me of house and home.....your bird would be welcome in my yard as long as he only takes the squirrels from the other side of the street........ :wink:

[Irene]

Wow, incredible story, thanks for sharing, great shots of the sharpie too! Yeah they don't seem to fear folks too much, we have one at Marie Curtis that seems to have no fear, I think maybe they are just curious?? Or maybe they think we gonna feed them? I have no idea...but they seem to be less skiddish then the other hawks.

[Rob'in'To]

I see the Sharp-shinned just about everyday now and he's definitely wreaking havoc with my Project Feeder Watch count but it's nice to see him and so close.  He perched himself atop one of my birdhouses Sunday morning for a bit.  Funny, if I am already outside, he's not concerned about me.  If I am inside and then open the backdoor to go out...  that's a different story.  Funny bird.

And wouldn't you know it, Sunday afternoon I am outside doing yard work when suddenly the Squirrels just went ape s**t and I see this big beautiful Red-tailed Hawk come up over my apple trees, swoop lower over the yard and probably noticed me, then veered up and over to a neighbour's tree, which is the biggest on the block and often the Hawks like to sit in it and watch over my yard.  She sat there for about 5 minutes and then did the same path out again....  low over my yard, probably gave me a really dirty look, up over the apple trees and away she went.

I have a feeling this is going to be a very interesting winter around here...

cropped to heck shot of the Red-tail in my neighbour's tree

[Reg]

Great shots and story Rob.

[Rob'in'To]

Thanks!

It's eerie outside today, so quiet you could hear a bird plop (needle drop) if there was one around.  Scoping the pines and cedars but not seeing anything.

It was quite active this morning for a short bit with Juncos, Hairy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Mockingbird, Mourning Dove, a couple House Sparrows and Starlings until Sharpie showed up for brunch.  Not even any Pigeons on my neighbours' roof tops!