Well, I intended to do some backyard birding this afternoon.  I was going to set up my camera in video mode and leave it on the feeders for a little while.  Both the Painted Bunting feeder and the American Goldfinch feeder have been very active lately.  The weather was icky and gray this morning as I worked in the garden, but in the afternoon, the sun came out and all was ready for a nice afternoon blind session.

Except there were no birds.

No goldfinches on the crape myrtle.  No call notes of the buntings.  No little birds flitting from bush to bush.

Then I saw why…Meet my backyard spoilsport, also known as a Cooper’s Hawk!