I was sitting on the balcony in late June–I did not note the exact date since I knew this wasn’t a life list addition for me–when I noticed a large bird through the trees. Reminding myself that most of the time, things turn out to be ordinary, I thought it was only a crow. No, its shape was different. I finally noticed by its movement that it had something in its talons and at that point I realized it was indeed a hawk.

But definitely not a red-tail, and that’s all I can tell without binoculars and bird book in hand. Hawks are not my strong suit, in fact, I rarely bother to try to identify them unless there’s something truly outstanding about it. In this case, it was just such a great view, even though it was through the leaves.

I didn’t think it would, but it stayed while I fetched my binoculars. Since it remained, I decided to try to fetch my bird book. It stayed, so I sat down to watch and went back and forth to the book. That hawk was very acommodating! He turned in a full circle as he plucked the feathers from his prey (some small bird, I like to think it was not one of mine!).

So I was able to identify it clearly as a sharp-shinned hawk. And if there’d been any doubt, he had the courtesy to then fly right over me, still clutching his dinner. Although I cringed a bit, becuase if he’d dropped the bird, it would have landed on me (we’re on the 4th floor, so when he flew, I mean it was directly overhead–and close!), I still got a first-hand look at him flying.

If only they were all so acommodating.

An additional note – the Carolina wren is back, and I have been on various sites trying to finally establish that it is indeed a Carolina wren, beyond “I just know.” It is — its white eye stripe and size don’t match up with the house wren. I can’t get the sound file from Cornell to play on my computer, but I’ll work on that. Its song, the “teakettle, teakettle, teakettle,” should clinch it.