Sharp-shinned Hawk - Feeding the Birds on a Winter Morning

I’ve been putting chicken scratch out on the front porch for the last week or so. That brings dozens of little birds to the porch - Juncoes, White-crowns, House Finches, Rufous Towhees, Doves, and more. We’ll even get a Magpie coming in every now and then. We’ve had so much snow recently that it’s got to be pretty hard foraging for them.

Laurie and I were in the living room yesterday when we heard a “thump” at the front window. Sharp-shinned Hawk perched on a branch on a snowy Colorado morning.

Sharp-shinned Hawk perched on a branch on a snowy Colorado morning.

A Sharp-shinned Hawk had made a pass at one of the birds and had thumped into the window. She didn’t seem to be injured.

She perched on a snow-covered Honey Locust branch while the snow fell down around her.

Just as pretty as you please.

Sharp-shinned Hawk perched on a branch on a snowy Colorado morning.

She stayed there for five minutes or so, peering from side to side, studying the ground. I’m guessing that she was looking for little birds that were trying to hid in the undergrowth.

Sharp-shinned Hawk perched on a branch on a snowy Colorado morning.

Eventually she fanned her tail, roused, and flew away.

What a lovely thing to see on a snowy morning.