Thank you, Dick and Jane.

Based upon both of your comments and after looking at a dozen websites, I
think that I will stick with sharp shinned.  It had very little neck and a
rounded head.  I don't think it had attitude....it saw me and immediately
retreated.   My view was close and clear but only about 5 seconds long.
It's a good thing that learning about birds is fun as I have a long way to
go.  I appreciate your comments.

On Sun, Jan 1, 2017 at 12:54 PM, Jane Stein <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> It's certainly unlikely, but not impossible, I wouldn't think, for a big
> mama Sharpie.  Mourning doves are the Cooper's favorite prey-- slow-moving
> ground-feeding birds.  Sharpies take smaller birds on the wing or on
> feeders.  But the Sharpie could have made an unsuccessful dive at the
> feeder, and taken the dove opportunistically when it flushed and knocked
> itself out against the window.
>
> Just be aware that the square tail thing can be very deceptive because
> those distinctive white feathers tips of the Cooper wear down pretty
> quickly after they get their spring plumage.  (White feathers are weaker
> than dark ones.)
>
> I've found that what I have to look for isn't the overall straight or
> curved look but those couple of tail feathers on both sides to see if
> they're slightly shorter than the middle feathers.  This can be hard to see
> with a bird at rest because those shorter feathers can disappear behind the
> longer ones when the tail is completely folded.  There are other good clues
> in the shape and coloring of the head and nape.
>
> "The nape feathers on adult Cooper’s Hawks are lighter than the feathers
> on the top of the head, giving the bird a capped appearance."
>
> http://www.audubon.org/news/a-beginners-guide-iding-coopers-
> and-sharp-shinned-hawks
>
> Or any site dealing with raptor ID will give you similar info.
>
> That almost pink breast on the adults is gorgeous for sure.
>
> Jane
> (Shoreham)
>
>
>
>
> On 1/1/2017 12:17 PM, Martha McClintock wrote:
>
>> I had just been watching birds at the feeder from my kitchen window, 30
>> mourning doves, 6 blue jays, 2 chickadees, 1 hairy and 1 downy.  Nothing
>> interesting so I turned away.  Within 30 seconds, there was a loud thud as
>> a mourning dove hit the window.  I looked out to the snow to see if the
>> bird was just dazed and would recover.  An adult sharp shinned hawk was
>> standing above the dazed (or more) dove and then flew away with him.
>>
>> While I have seen sharp shinned hawks a number of times near my home, this
>> was a clear view from only 2-3 yards away...the red eye. the absolutely
>> square tail and the adult plumage were beautiful.
>>
>> It seems more likely that the hawk was a Cooper's, according to what I
>> just
>> read but the square tail and the size makes me think sharp-shinned.
>>  Could
>> a sharp-shinned catch and carry a mourning dove?
>>
>> And, by the way, I now have no birds at my feeder.
>>
>> Martha
>> Westford
>>
>>