[yorkiemini]

I have spent the last couple hours out in the cold "fighting" a very persistent hawk in my back yard. Due to past experience my little Cali spots them immediatly and goes on a crazy attack act! The hawk very patiently sits up on the wire and watches every move she makes - then swoops, only to be met with me and my leaf rake! Then goes back up on the wire and watches. Very bold! Will come within about 12 feet of me when he swoops!

The last time the Department of Natural Resources officer came by the visit his friend "Cali the Hawk Slayer" he gave me some new tips. Many of them involved noise makers which would not go over well in my neighborhood and would end up involving the police because they sound like guns.

But there were a couple new ones:
-Lasers can be pointed a couple feet in front of the hawk and moved toward them. These seem to work best in low light situations. My pilot son also pointed out they could possibly blind the bird.
- use eye-spot balloons. These are about the size of a beach ball. I looked them up on line and ordered some of them. In addition to the the "scary, evil eye" thing they incorporate they mylar tape reflector type things.

Just thought I would pass this along. The crow decoys have not been much of a deterent in my yard. Probably me running around in the back yard in the winged crow suit would work the best!!!!!!!! The yard rake, however, does make the bird pull away - but it comes back.