Sharp shinned hawk

Back in January we were seeing piles of feathers on the ground every few days. We thought a cat was killing birds, until the day I spotted this fine fellow. I thought he might be a Cooper's hawk, but a naturalist who saw the photos said he's a sharp shin. I appreciated him sitting still long enough for me to walk the dog home, grab the camera, return, and take pictures. I expect he'd eaten recently and was enjoying the winter sun, watching the squirrels hunt for nuts, and planning his next visit to a bird feeder, to pick up a bird for dining.

The sharp shinned hawk's formal name is accipiter striatus.