Neighborhood watch

The neighborhood hawk was looking out for tasty squirrels.  

 

Meal time

We couldn't figure out why the bushes and trees were quiet.  No little birds flying around.  Then we saw why.  A very big hawk just waiting for his next meal.

 

Red shoulder

A red shouldered hawk checking out the park.

 

My eyes are on you

The red shouldered hawk was watching everyone walking by like a...well, like a hawk.

 

Backyard Hawk

A red shouldered hawk decided to eat a robin on our compost bin.  He was chased away by a red tailed hawk who swooped by.

 

Neighborhood Hawk

This juvenile red shouldered hawk has decided to move into the neighborhood.  He hangs out on the neighbor's flagpole.

 And then swoops down to check out things in the lawn.

 

Snake snack

I heard a thump and a rustling in the leaves.  I looked, thinking it was a squirrel.  But instead it was a red shouldered hawk eating a little snake.

He choked it down, looking very proud of himself.

He then flew up to a nearby tree to look for his next meal.

 

Hawk

This red shouldered hawk was watching everyone who walked by.

 

Hiding in plain sight

This red shouldered hawk was sitting in a tree just watching all the people walking by with their dogs.  Was he looking for a juicy small dog for dinner?

Lookout tree

The tallest tree in the area is a perch used by many different birds.  Some mornings a mockingbird is singing it's heart out.  Some mornings it's a woodpecker yodeling.  This morning it was a red shouldered hawk calling out.  

lunch time

We had a surprise visitor for lunch one day.  First he brought a dead snake to our deck railing.  Then later started munching on a bird. 

The small birds didn't come to the feeder, but twittered with agitation in the trees.

He ate every bit, even the bones.

We chased him off, and hopefully he won't come back to hunt at our bird feeder.  We can hear his call all over the neighborhood.

Even though he was very big, I'm thinking he's an immature red shouldered hawk (see here) because of coloration, call and because that is the most common hawk in our area.

Red shouldered Hawk

This Red Shouldered Hawk was very vocal.  He sat high up in the tree giving his call (hear it here) I think there was another hawk around, and maybe he was calling to it (her?)  Is this a sign of spring?

Red shouldered Hawk

This red shouldered hawk watched quietly while everyone walking around Shelly Lake looked for eagles.  Lately I've seen more hawks than pigeons.  A sign of a healthy ecosystem?

Hawk's nest revisited

We went out on the greenway to check on our family of Red Shouldered Hawks.  Dad was in a nearby tree watching.  Suddenly Mom swooped in and sat in the nest.   (you can barely see her in the picture below.)

We haven't seen any baby heads sticking out, but I'm sure they wouldn't be taking such good care of an empty nest.

Hawk nest revisited

We checked back with our Red Shouldered Hawk nest to see what was going on.  Mom was sitting on the nest.  Dad was flying around.  We could hear him, but he was hard to see.

Another Red Shoulder

This one was sitting on a tree near the play area at Eastgate park in an older established neighborhood.  He watched for a while and then flew away flashing his striped tail.

Hawk's nest

We heard a skreech, and then watched a mama hawk land on her nest above us.  I think she's a red shouldered hawk.  

Once she settled in, you could barely see her looking out.

Daddy hawk watched from a distant tree.