Bird Watching: Urban hawk....today!, 1 by cshirsch

cshirsch wrote:
I have seen a large bird around the neighborhood for a while but never got a good look at it. I have told a few neighbors about it but none have seen it. I went out in the back yard this morning with my camera to try to catch some shots of a few birds and BINGO, look what was sitting in a tree about 40 yards from me! I knew it was a predatory bird and now I have proof. It did not stay in good view long but I was able to snap a few shots before it moved to another limb and was partially obscured from view. I realized that it was watching a small squirrel just a few feet away. It flew away, I guess I interrupted it’s breakfast. The shots are not the best but can anyone ID it?

Chris, in the Houston, TX area.