One day in late December, I heard a loud thud on my big front window.  Now, it's not unusual for birds to smack into the window on their way to or from my little bird feeder. But this was a much louder noise than the typical sparrow or cardinal would make.

Peeking out the front door, I saw a rather large hawk fluttering, dazed and injured, on the patio below that front window.

For the record, hawks don't eat bird seed.  They prefer, well, meatier morsels.  Like little birds.  Or chipmunks.  Or even bunnies.  Basically, they prefer all the birds and critters that belly up to my Birdseed Buffet.

This hawk has visited before; the picture here is one I took of the same bird (or one just like him) in April 2009, at which point he was sitting on top of my bird feeder, just waiting for a munchable little animal to come his way.

I wish I knew of a way to scare away the hawk so that my wild birds, squirrels, rabbits and chipmunks could munch birdseed in peace.  I know, I know, birds of prey have to eat too.  But do they need to eat in my yard?

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