Lately it seems like we’ve been seeing a larger number of predator birds in the trees behind us. (Speaking of backyard trees, we lost about half of one of the big cottonwoods. Ironically it wasn’t the one that’s been leaning at a 30 degree angle for the last 7 years. Check out the April 18th, 2001 entry which shows the two trees. The one in the background lost the entire left side.) I believe this bird was a red shouldered hawk which isn’t listed in our bird book, but a little online research seemed to indicate that to be the correct species. We’re not bird watchers by any means so take my identification with a grain of salt. It also doesn’t help that we spotted it near dusk on a dark cloudy afternoon so it wasn’t too easy getting a photo of it, especially since it was about 40-50 feet up in the tree.