Sharp-shinned Hawk

While sledding with Corwin in the back yard today, we noticed a small falcon perched in the tree that borders with my downhill neighbor. I was only able to get four pictures with the DSLR when the bloody battery went dead. So I ran back inside to get the new pocket sized point and shoot that Maurice got Anke and I for Christmas to get a few more photos. But as I was turning the little camera on, the Hawk flew into our blue spruce tree to chase a couple of chickadees. Dinner then zoomed between the houses and across the street I presume, with the falcon in pursuit.

With the help of my National Audubon Society Field Guide to Birds (Eastern Region North America) I was able to identify my new non vegetarian friend as a Sharp- shinned Hawk. It feeds mainly on other birds, which it can catch in midair. It's short rounded wings and long narrow tail make it rather maneuverable and able to dodge around trees and branches while in pursuit. They tend to migrate along rivers, so I suspect he was just passing through. (I believe it to be a he, as the females are significantly larger than the males, and he wasn't a real big fella, being maybe 10 inches tall or so.) But he really should stick around. Between the bird feeders of my neighbor and us, there are plenty of sparrow sized birds for him to buffet on.