One less squirrel

[Ray]

In addition to orchids, I have developed an interest in bird watching, so have set up the "Cadillac of Bird Feeding Stations" in my yard. (In my usual fashion, I have also begun purchasing feed, feeders, etc in wholesale quantities, and added them to my store - hint, hint.)

Having those easy-to-care-for "pets" around, with their spilled grain, attracts lots of squirrels, deer, etc., and that, in turn, attracts predators.

Yesterday I pulled into the garage, and before I closed the door spied this in my front yard:

 

[Clark]

Nice shot of the food chain!

Any shrikes?
I have yet to see one in my neighborhood.

 

[NYEric]

Pretty cool.

 

[fbrem]

awesome, raptors are pretty hardcore predators, nice shot

 

[goldenrose]

hope it continues to have a taste for squirrels :clap: but they also take the birds right off the feeders.

 

[cdub]

Nice! Looks like a Coopers Hawk. I've had the same happen. I had a terrible problem with grackles scaring off the smaller passerines from my feeders until a resident coopers hawk set up shop in the neighborhood. No more grackles!

 

[biothanasis]

Impressive shot!!!! Well done Ray!!!

 

[etex]

Nice pic!

 

[Hera]

BOOYA. Those squirriels are so annoying.

 

[SlipperKing]

Ours like pigeons, yea

 

[Candace]

Yippeee. Glad he's there and not after my chickens. Though I have a few squirrels I'd like picked off myself:< Very cool.

 

[Paphs-in-Colo]

A little less competition at the birdfeeder now <grin>

 

[SlipperFan]

Big bird! Do you know what it is?

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

Please send it to my yard!

 

[Ray]

Dot, I thought it was an immature female Red Tail hawk, but cdub thought it might be a Cooper's hawk, and we have both around here. Red Tails fly with their tail feathers spread, while Coopers keep them tight, but I was watching the dead squirrel's tail flapping in the air as it was carried away, and didn't notice the bird's tail feathers.

I'll tell you what: This is my 18th residence, and I have lived in upstate NY, NJ, GA, rural KY, third-world-country part of SC, but in this part of southeast Pennsylvania - 30 miles north of Philly - I have seen more wildlife than any where else. We routinely have deer using my pond, and we have seen black bear, possums, raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, skunks, red foxes, and groundhogs. Puma have been spotted in the area, too. We've seen at least 25 different types of birds, from ruby-throated hummers up through bald eagles (at nearby state parks). The fact that our street terminates at 500 acres of preserved land helps that, I'm sure.

 

[SlipperFan]

I was thinking it might be a Goshawk. Bring it up in google images and see if you can tell. There seems to be more white on this bird than I associate with Red Tails or Coopers. Look especially at the eye area. But you could be right...

 

[goldenrose]

My husband had a red tailed, he's quite certain it isn't that - Coopers or Gos more likely.