Unexpected Visitor

We frequently have chipmunks and squirrels on our birdbath. But the animal I saw out of the corner of my eye this morning was too large to be a squirrel. I thought maybe it is the groundhog that moves from neighbor to neighbor; after all I saw a groundhog in a tree last week on Lower Rail Trail. I took a closer look. It was not a squired, not the groundhog, but a mature male Broad-winged Hawk.

We have seen red tailed hawks in our yard in the past. They sit in one of the trees eyeing chipmunks who do not see them while they feed under the bird feeder on sunflower seeds that birds drop. Periodically a hawk will swoop down and catch a meal. However, we have never seen a Broad-winger Hawk in our yard, let-alone on the bird bath. This hawk appeared to be cooling his feet in the water and periodically took a drink.

I quickly grabbed my iPhone and ran off a few shots through the window. The hawk did not seem in any rush to move, so I ran for my A6000. When I returned, the hawk had moved to the ground where he posed very proudly.

I had been taking photos of the Broad-winged Hawk through a window to which a sun screen film had been applied and I really wanted a completely unobstructed photo. I put my hand very slowly on the handle to the exterior door. I heard no sound, but the hawk must have and he took off. The photo session was over.

Broad-winger Hawks are typically found in forests, so it was unusual to have one visit our back yard. For information on the Broad-winged Hawk see: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Broad-winged_Hawk/overview