PFW - Week 8: First Hawk Sighting

There were plenty of Cooper's and Sharp-Shinned Hawks stalking the feeders at the house, but today was the first time I saw one here at the apartment. I saw a bird about the size of a large pigeon buzzing through the trees and recognized the striping on its breast and realized that it was a short-shinned hawk, confirmed by the straight tail (as opposed to a cooper's with a curved tail and generally larger.)

Lucy wanted to help me keep a record of bird sightings, but without opposable thumbs she was having a hard time handling the pencil.

Total count for the weekend:

• Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
• Mourning Dove 1
• Downy Woodpecker 1
• Carolina Chickadee 2
• American Robin 1
• Song Sparrow 1
• White-throated Sparrow 2
• Dark-eyed Junco 1
• Northern Cardinal 2
• House Finch 7 (0 with eye disease)
• House Sparrow 9

My family is onto my love of birds and here is one of my Christmas gifts. Of course, it's also a Cardinal ..... as in the University of Louisville Cardinals, my favorite college sports team.


Happy New Year & best wishes for 2009.