I don't know why, but the last 2 times in as many days that I've tried to respond on this thread, my comment has just disappeared into the Bermuda Triangle or something. Today, from inside my house, I heard the same screaming. Stepping out on my front walk, I could tell it was up in my pine tree. Look as I might, I could not see the hawk, but there was a ton of noise and commotion up there. I think I saw some grackles and some bluejays hoppping around, and I still wasn't positive there was even a hawk up there, despite the screams (not being a bird expert, I don't know the calls for certain). I thought maybe it was the blue jays screaming. This time I had the camera. i took a step onto the grass under the trees to aim for a better vantage point, but before I could do anything else, a HUGE (wide wingspan) bird flapped out of the tree, away from me and my house, and flew off into the distance. With him flew at least two smaller birds (same as last time). He didn't seem to be chased by them. They seemed to be companions? wingmen? LOL I dont' know. Anyway, I stupidly was trying to turn on my camera although it was already on and I didn't get a picture. I'm marvelling at the fact that this large bird can hide itself in the trees so well. This is the second time I was certain of it's location in a particular tree but still could not see it. Anyway, I think it's pretty cool!

You can't disturb a nest once it has eggs in it. If you at all prevent a hawk from raising it's young, it's called a 'take'. The hawk may or may not abandon the nest and the young may or may not get the food they need to grow and if any of the disturbance is your doing, US Fish & Wildlife will be secretly filming you and trying to build a case. Many people get on a 'witch hunt' over hawks and 'their rights'. It's a small minded neighborhood thing because many view the hawks now as cool thanks to nest cams. My advice is to remove any tall trees that would be an ideal nesting site if budget allows, or make them unappealing before nesting season by paying a tree climber to add a fake racoon or fake owls that move, or other bright, big objects that move such as huge balloons with eyes, large shiny pinwheels with tape that flashes in the breeze. Add several so as to overwhelm the hawk as it first approaches it's old nesting area. It may not stop the hawk from coming to the area but may pursuade it to nest elsewhere. Just make sure that the type of hawk you're trying to encourage to move isn't considered endangered in your area. Your local game commission may have that information. A pic provided to them will be helpful. I know red shouldered hawks are becoming more scarce due to red tail hawks taking over good hunting and nesting grounds. Just check with your local authorities before taking any action.

Welcome, It is a nice place to visit. I have been a widow for 2 years and have no intention of marrying again. I didn't mind being single until I broke my harm and found out it's hard to cope being alone with a handicap. It made me realize there is a need for a different kind of singles organization (locally), a group to help another in their time need. Transportation, get groceries for each other, opening a can etc.. LOL

Right now I just skim past -- consider the source and move on to the next post. Although it got a bit hairy on there after the Paris bombings. But I'd rather know that someone thinks a certain way -- they can bundle their thoughts and opinions up into some stupid meme, cherry picking their points. I do end up thinking a lot less of them as people. I avoid posting about politics or religion, myself -- but of course there are those observations that I don't consider political, but others might. I do value FB -- while I've learned some of my friends and relatives are shallow, I've learned that others have nuanced viewpoints and can express themselves very well, and I'd simply can't wait to travel the physical miles to just hang out and chat with them, over tea or wine. (And no, our viewpoints don't always match.) I also value seeing my cousin's renovations of the small church across the road from her original house -- she and her husband have done marvelous things with it, and have just finished adding a kitchen -- I think they're truly ready to move in and sell their original house. She also has my dream job -- she works for the Smithsonian, travelling around the world, bringing back artifacts, and setting up displays in DC. Without FB, I'd not be able to follow her like I am, now. I value getting back in touch with another cousin, two weeks younger than myself, whom I hadn't seen in person since we were fifteen -- her life diverged markedly when she vanished around age 16 to a troubled couple of decades apart from any of her relatives. FB helped re-unite her with myself and a few others of her relatives. I also re-connected with a good college roomie from back in the day. I valued getting updates from the daughter of a friend in a state over, who'd fallen, had a concussion, went into a coma. The daughter had access to her mother's account and shared information on my friend's recovery process to everyone. So, for all the ucky memes out there, and the vast overabundance of sharing of things that the writer did not create or write him or her self, there's gold at least among most of my FB friends. And I'll NEVER re-post/share something someone tells me I HAVE to share on my wall. No matter how well-meaning. Because I'm not the sort of person to "demand" it of others. PS: I have called people out on offensive posts. I really have it in for the cherry pickers who only pick the examples that buttress their "case", by pointing out other examples of such and such. I don't do it all the time, because sometimes I just can't be bothered.