Urban hawk....today!

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.

Another shot of the Urban Hawk

My guess would be Sharp-shinned but how large was he?

Probably 12 - 14" long

The Urban Hawk was eye-balling this guy:

Nice pictures. Also could be a Cooper's. The Cooper's have a distinctive gliding flight and are very vocal.

Unfortunately, we have a currently resident Cooper's . . . and as a result have not had a single bird at our bird feeder for almost two months now (here in a rural area in Middle Tennessee). I hope ours moves on like yours did.

Here's the Sharp-shinned Hawk (9-13 inches)

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Sharp-shinned_Hawk.html

Coopers Hawk (15-20 inches)

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Coopers_Hawk.html

Sharp-shinned Hawk for me too

Resin

I agree with Sharp-shinned...looks just like the one I took a pic of yesterday

looks like my sharpie!

Yesterday at the New Johnsonville Tennessee Wildlife Refuge "open afternoon" one of the rangers was displaying a Cooper's Hawk. He said the Sharp-Shinned was about the size of a bluejay

But when they are sitting up in that tree or are distance away it is hard to tell size.

Right.