Sharp-shinned Hawk

I mentioned that on Monday we had a most unusual bird land upon our tray feeder on the deck: A Sharp-shinned Hawk

They are usually not the type of bird you would associate with sunflower seeds and, in fact, it did not seem at all interested in them. Why it landed on the feeder and not in the trees around the yard is a bit of a mystery.

We had one last year that landed and sat for hours in the trees above the feeders on the side of the house. It would just sit there and terrorize the smaller birds. Perhaps this was the same bird for it landed in the same spot when it left the front deck. We saw it yesterday afternoon and again today. It's presence might explain why the small bird population has suddenly thinned considerably. While we haven't seen it actually capture a bird this year, we did witness at least three kills last year. (Little puffs of feathers scattered to the wind as the small hawk sped off into the woods was good enough evidence, but I once saw it land on a log and begin tearing the bird it had caught apart.)

Sharp-Shinned Hawk

Sharp-Shinned Hawk

Sharp-Shinned Hawk

Now, if I could only do something about the possums and, now, raccoons that have taken to eating my sunflower seeds I might be able to make a 50lb bag last more than 10 days.

Yes, the possum has returned several times. It even brought a friend along one evening. As for the raccoons, they always bring friends along. While the possums don't seem to climb to get seed off the trays or out of the feeders, the raccoons are accomplished second story men. They even have the burglars' masks to prove it. I was hoping to be able to wait until around March 17th before I had to bring the feeders in every night--I figured that might be about when the bears would start getting active--however, if the 'coons are going to start showing up nightly, I guess we'll have to start bringing the feeders in sooner. Tonight we had both possum (scrounging and rooting around beneath the feeders) and raccoons (climbing on the deck rail to get at teh tray and stick feeder as well as the pole to get at one of the larger hanging feeders).