The Predator Wars

Three Sharp-shinned hawks, two small (probably male) Cooper's hawks, one Peregrine falcon (sounding like a Christmas rhyme) and a Loggerhead Shrike in the Cottonwood tree, all of which Tom thought he had a handle on. Now, what appears to be a falcon showed up and took a Junco yesterday. Though not able to get to the camera in time there is now also a monster Cooper's hawk and she is terrifying. With songbirds hiding at the bottom of brush, the monster Cooper's spreads it's wings out almost engulfing the bush while crashing down into it with talons extended. She will then rise six feet back into the air and come crushing down on the bush again. Tom probably makes fifteen, maybe more runs to the front or back of the lodge chasing off various birds of prey. By being able to see the songbirds out the office window and how they react to the latest threat Tom has a pretty good idea of who the predator is and where it's located while he's heading to the door. Today it was a Sharp-shinned that messed with him the most. Tom chased it off, waited, and just with the way the Sharp-shinned was talking when it left Tom knew it wasn't over. 15 minutes later it was back at the same bush. Tom chased it off, waited, and 15 minutes later it returned again.