While working in the sunroom and trying to do a FeederWatch 
at the same time, I looked up at a sudden commotion outside 
just now and witnessed a juvenile SHARP-SHINNED HAWK grab 
and pin a EUROPEAN STARLING on the snow outside the window 
barely 6 feet from where I am sitting.  The hawk, not much 
bigger than its prey, kept its wings spread out as though 
shielding its prize, which was on its back making unpleasant 
screeching noises.  After about one minute the hawk flew off 
across the field with the starling, still screeching.

Now, as I am typing this, there is an adult COOPER'S HAWK at 
the edge of the field eating a (still alive *shudder*) 
European Starling.  Same one poached from the sharpie?  Hard 
to say.

One thing is certain: the snow has brought out a lot of 
infrequent visitors to our feeders, including EASTERN 
TOWHEE, SONG SPARROW, FOX SPARROW, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD 
(associating with the starlings), and COMMON GRACKLE 
(haven't seen any here in a while).  We also had a 
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK land in the trees above the yard 
yesterday.  And in reference to a previous post, we had 14 
MOURNING DOVES this morning (but didn't see any yesterday, 
and in general they seem to be more scarce here than in past 
years).

OK, now to try to get back to work...

D

-- 
Derek C. Richardson, Laurel, PG County, MD
http://www.astro.umd.edu/~dcr/personal.html