Originally Posted by gracielove (Post 4173108)

It's hard to tell by the picture but I thought I saw a redish head and there is something around the head that does not look hawkish. It may just be the angle. We have some big hawks around here and even some occasional eagles. The wing span on your bird when it is flying looks different, too. Do you have a good zoom lens on your camera? A close up of the head would tell you for sure. Either way it is a dangerous looking bird for sure.

Originally Posted by gracielove (Post 4173110)

The shape of the head just isn't right for a hawk. Do you have other kinds of prey birds in your area?

Originally Posted by lovespandp (Post 4173105)

Lol!!! I was so shocked to see how big he was I stuttered!! Haha

I still kinda worry with him out there and Pnut in his dog run..?? Maybe I'm just stressing I dont think theres anything he can do- even if he landed on the top.. I think Pnut would bark at him and run inside!

Hey go to bed lady!

Originally Posted by GeorgiesMomma (Post 4173114)

I can't stop laughing at it!!!

I think Peanut would be fine since its completely covered.

I might go to bed before midnight tonight....maybe:)

Originally Posted by lovespandp (Post 4173119)

Lol!! Ya right- you will stay up late watching my video!!

Originally Posted by lovespandp (Post 4173088)

Eww gross!! Aren't those things really big? For sure!! I wouldn't let him off leash either!! They are toooooo precious to us!

Originally Posted by gracielove (Post 4173129)

I'd love to see a close up of that head! We have a bear now roaming in our backyard at night. It seems the wildlife are really stirred up about something these days. Thankfully, Gracie can use pee pads at night because I'm not taking her out in the dark! He comes right up to my bedroom window and looks in. Gracie growls and barks like she is going to kill him. I hope things start growing in the woods for him to eat soon.

Originally Posted by Chewbaccasmom (Post 4173162)

Looking at your pics I don't believe it is a falcon. Falcons do not get that large. 2 foot wingspan at the most. But it does not look like a turkey vulture either. I'm gonna say hawk. He's a little beat up but a hawk none the less

Originally Posted by GeorgiesMomma (Post 4173138)

HA pure entertainment LOL

Originally Posted by lovespandp (Post 4173202)

Ummm wait a second- did you say you have a bear roaming your backyard!?!? Then you began to tell me its a peeping bear, that snoops in your window!?!? Lol!!

Maybe he is looking for BooBoo??

Seriously that is scary!! Cant you call the wildlife people and tell them to catch him and rehome him wayyyyy back in the woods?

Originally Posted by Buster Brown (Post 4172891)

Scary! Glad to hear Peanut is well protected in his run.
I hate that Direct TV commercial where the slogan says scarier than a.... and one of the bits is a dog being carried off by a large bird...not funny bad marketing.

Originally Posted by lovespandp (Post 4173206)

LOL!!!! Glad I can entertain you! We just found the longest Centipead (sp??) on Pnut's pee pad!! LOL what the heck!!?!?

Originally Posted by lovespandp (Post 4172877)

Well it looks like Mr. Hawk is back! I believe without a doubt this is the same one that was munching on a squirrel in front of my house a couple weekends ago.

The 1st and 2nd picture are Monday morning. Peanut was in his dog run and I was standing there telling him to go potty…. He was lagging as usual- and something just told me to look to the left- when I did I see this big ole hawk sitting on my fence! He was looking or I should say staring at Peanut the whole time he was around! Something startled him and he then flew above us, and landed up on the fern tree.. he then continue to stare at my Peanut!

This morning we had another visit. This would be picture’s 4 and 5. This time I was standing there telling Pnut to poo, and of course he was lagging as usual. I heard a wing flutter, I looked and I saw our friend again! This time he had something- he paid us no attention. He did fly up to the tip of the tree and he seemed like he was eating something, he kept bending down like towards his talons then coming back up- I swear I heard like a bird squeak, maybe like a baby bird he had? Not sure.

Just to be clear, Peanut’s dog run is like a big dog’s run. We have French doors and we use the smaller door as Peanut’s doggy door to the inside of his cage outside, he can go inside and outside as he pleases. DH also put a chain link top on it…

What scares me is, we were just out there the other day ( backyard) and I was throwing Peanut’s ball for him! I guess our days of being outside are over, at least without a leash on!! I do not trust this hawk at all!! He also sneaks around the front yard hiding in the trees!!

I think since I have seen him twice in my backyard and once in my front, I will send a memo out and tape it on the mailboxes so people are aware of this Hawk.. I know lots of people leave their small dogs outside and cats outside. This hawk is big, I want to say it like 6 pounds… I have never seen one this big around my house.

Originally Posted by Lap Princess (Post 4173238)

That's a red-tailed hawk. No question. Specifically a darker morph. Probably a female, as they are larger than males. The missing flight feathers are due to moulting. They generally re up to 2 1/2 feet tall with a 5 foot wingspan. They rarely weigh above 3 lbs. Yes, they look big but are very light.

Peanut will be fine in the covered run. :)

Originally Posted by gracielove (Post 4173247)

I called a forest ranger and she told me not to put bird seed in my bird feeder anymore. I had a bird feeder on a pole outside my bedroom window. He took the pole and flattened it to the ground in order to grab the feeder and get the seed out. I didn't know what was doing it at first. The ground is still frozen here so I would pry the pole back into an upright position and set my bird feeder up again. This went on for a few weeks until my pole was almost broken all the way through. Finally I got mad because I thought it may be vandals. I got my flashlight out and looked out the window and there is a giant bear staring back at me! Gracie goes nuts and I have to make her be quite because I don't want the bear coming through the window at me!
Everyone I have talked to says he will go away when things start growing in the woods for him to eat. I have lived here for several years and we have a lot of wildlife but have never had a bear before. I do live in a wooded area outside of town but bears are not part of our normal neighborhood group of woodland friends.
I still don't think your dealing with a hawk. Their heads are not shaped like that.

Originally Posted by navillusc (Post 4173378)

Me too! That is a horrible commercial! I cannot imagine who thinks that is funny or appropriate for TV!!! :confused::(:mad::thumbdown

I would guess that the hawk will hang around as long as s/he thinks there is a food source. Ugh! Not a happy thought. It sure would not thrill me to have a hawk hanging around eyeing my pups. :eek: I already cringe every time I hear an owl...and not just dawn and dusk...all day and at night, too, and since there are several different calls, I know not only is there is the GHO I saw first, there are now others I haven't even seen yet. :(

I hope none of your neighbors are missing their babies...s/he does look large enough for serious snacking on small dogs, kitties, etc. I so hope s/he gets bored of your neighborhood and moves on.

Originally Posted by SophieKatesMom (Post 4173388)

Whatever kind of bird that is I would be scared!!!

We have a Hawk problem also, a Chicken Farmer told me that he uses "fake owls" to scare away the Hawks from his "girls" so I bought this big ugly fake Owl at Walmart last year. Honestly I did not notice a difference but I have grown attached to the fake Owl so he will be out again this Spring and Summer.

Originally Posted by CesarTheGreat (Post 4173411)

That hawk will kill your dog if he has the chance. I know you're not allowed to kill hawks as it's against the law.... but, yeah, I would kill that hawk. Either that or you will need to put a leash on your dog and accompany him each time he goes out.

A .22 should do quite well.

Originally Posted by Maximo (Post 4173425)

There are black headed vultures. They hunt and kill their prey, while the red-headed turkey vulture usually eats things that are already dead. Both of them have a 5' wingspan. However, the black ones are not common out west.

Probably is a red-tail hawk.

Our neighbor's 9 pound Yorkie was attacked by a red-shoulder hawk and severely injured. He is lucky to be alive.

Be careful!