FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Sharp-shinned Hawk, walking while stalking

["David & Gloria Patterson" <dgpatterson@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Houston Lane, Ooltewah (Chatanooga)  35.02 N, 85.08 W
10 AM Feb 6, 2003

No birds in sight around feeders, except one non-moving Titmouse; we suspected 
Cooper's or Sharpie in the area.

Adult Sharp-shinned Hawk (large, female?) came and perched among feeders, 3 ft 
from our porch, where we watched it for 15 minutes or more.

Next it flew 40 ft to the ground below a White Cedar and Silverberry bush and 
WALKED around under the tree and bush looking up into the foliage for 10 
minutes.  It looked like a Pigeon walking on the ground.  Many feeder birds 
hide in those bushes, which are probably too dense for a large bird to move 
around in.

Several times the Sharpie flew up against the foliage, and the small birds 
moved into other parts. Finally a bunch of Cardinals and White-throats fled, 
and the Sharpie took off after one of the Cardinals into the nearby woods.  
Sharpie and Cardinal disappeared into a gully.  When I went to the gully the 
Sharpie flew up into a nearby tree, without the Cardinal, which I couldn't find.

Bent's Life Histories devotes pages to Sharpie hunting, but no mention of 
walking.  It really seems unusual,  but getting underneath a dense evergreen or 
bush and looking up is a good way to see birds and nests.

David and Gloria Patterson


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