Back Yard Entertainment

For the last several days I have been under the weather with a bad cold which has kind of limited my birding to staring out the windows to our back yard. At times even that limited process can be quite entertaining.  Yesterday was a good example.  We have a variety of feeders in our back yard and attract a good number of little songbirds, warblers, sparrows, and finches, probably close to a dozen different species.  And these little birds are what attracts the bird eating hawks.  Yesterday morning an adult Sharp-shinnedHawk swooped in and all the little guys scattered.  In the afternoon this immature Copper’s Hawk stopped by and again all was quiet at the feeders. Any time I look out into our backyard and it is devoid of little birds at the feeders it’s a safe bet one of these hawks has just made a pass.  I know they are some times successful as we found a pile of feathers the other day.