Watch Like a Hawk

First off, let me satiate your curiosity by telling you what I learned about the snake... which is nothing. I tried to remove the skin from the hole in the wall, but it seems to hang down on the other side and is snagged on something or is held down by something. My efforts at removing it were tearing the skin. So it is still hanging there in case I can think of some other method of removing it intact.

The eyesore left by the previous owners finally gets put to use!

After the snake discovery, I guess it is no surprise that there was a big hawk hanging out close to my house all day yesterday. I noticed it first from the kitchen window as I prepared breakfast. I herded the kids to the dining room window, where the short ones could see, and we all gawked at it while it preened and scanned the area for a meal. Then it flew down behind a copse of trees and snatched something. After that it unsuccessfully stalked crows out in the hay field, and was eventually joined by a mate or one of its offspring at the tree line. We got hungry, so we quit straining our eyes and ate.

But later in the day, as I was standing up from emptying clothes out of the dryer, I was startled to see a hawk watching my every move. It sat on the lowest branch of a tree on the near side of the board fence (as opposed to the hawk sighting of the morning on the satellite dish that is on the far side of the board fence and in the hay field.) And through the screen room and the storm door to the laundry room, it was eyeing me intently. It was a bit unnerving. I think I exclaimed out loud in surprise and wonder. I scurried for the camera and tried to capture the look it was giving me, but unfortunately cut its head out of the shot. But you get the idea.

Here is another view of the bird in the back yard. I had moved to a different window so as to not scare it off.

It eventually flew to the board fence by the fire ring.

After a time, it swooped down and caught a mouse, mole, or other small mammal.

Then it proceeded to eat it in a tulip poplar in the little copse of trees near the fire pit.

After a time it flew off into the woods.

I've tried my hand at identifying it, and let me tell you, I am no good at bird identification in this case. This hawk had a lot of white flecks on it's head. It had dark "cheeks." It had a white "chin." It's underside was mostly white, especially under the tail, but its breast was flecked. The tail was banded, not reddish.  And the wings had a band of reddish brown on them. My best guess is that this is a juvenile red tailed hawk, especially because red tails are so common. Maybe one of you smart people out there can give me a firm answer.

Whatever it was, it was exhilarating to witness such a wild creature so close at hand and so unexpectredly. Even laundry is exciting at our new house :)