A couple of months ago we had a little hawk show up at the poultry pens and he’s been back a couple of time since then but hasn’t taken any of our birds. I think he’s a little too small for that. But it doesn’t stop him from drooling over the thought of a nice, big, juicy duck or chicken.

This morning I was watching the house sparrows taking turns at the feeders…

….and bathing in half-frozen water of the little pond by the front door…

When all of a sudden they went into a frenzy and dove into the center of the viburnum and hid themselves in the pine tree, chirping and squawking furiously at something scary.

At first I thought it was one of the magpies or the collared doves who like to terrorize them at the feeders… but then I saw him.

That little hawk was back and this time he was hunting the house sparrows!

I opened the window to shoo him off but he just looked me square in the eye and telepathically told me what he thought of me. 😄

So then I went outside and chased him from the viburnum to the maple tree a few feet away where he just stared down at me with amusement. The same way he did when we tried to shoo him away from the poultry pens.

Little brat.

Eventually he grew bored of waiting for me to go back in so he could resume his hunting and flew off down the street to terrorize someone else’s little feathered friends. The little sparrows went right back to eating and bathing as if nothing had happened and all was well again in their happy little world.

For now, at least.

I’m sure he’ll be back again…