kdurg

so i pull in the driveway the other morning and i see this hawk perched on my side porch bannister. damn, he's big. never saw one this close up before.

try to take a pic from inside the car thru the windshield. no good. i get out and walk around the front of the car door for a better shot. ( im less than 10 feet away from him mind you) he leans forward and shiiioot--he's coming at me !!

run around the car door and back in the car. clunk clunk..he lands on the roof.

ok, i pull forward a bit and he jumps off and lands in the grass behind the car.

round 2. i get out the car and walk towards him again in a face to face stare down. stood there for what seemed like eternity trying to take pics and he finally makes a move and comes at me yet again. RUN back into the car and he lands on the rear wing this time.

unreal...now I can take some pics thru the rear window.

i gun it into the driveway and he takes off and lands on neighbors roof. put the car in the garage and walk up into the house while both of us continue to watch each other.

odd connection with this fellow. i hope he returns.

Abby Normal

Dude has good taste!

billh1963

Any scratches?

soverystout

An amazing animal. Hopefully no scratches.

lennyg

I believe he is checking the car for fresh road kill. You know, Mustangs, Cobras, Vipers or even a tasty Pinto!

aka_Sven

Amazing story and pictures. I wonder if he was attracted to the shiny finish, maybe could see his reflection. When I was a kid we had a peacock, who would attack his image in the chrome bumper of my dad's car, thinking it was a rival. In Spring we had to smear a coating of polish (without wiping it off) to dull the surface so he couldn't see himself.

kdurg

it was quite an experience and one heck of an adrenaline rush. from what i could tell there was more of a curiousity factor in play than hostility from him.

no scratches at all.

BHMav8r

He's admiring the aerodynamics, pondering mods, or a race.

There are some at my golf course - beautiful. Kind of weird when they land on the green 15' from you.

Great pics.

Marine Blue

That is cool but I would have revved the engine the minute it landed on the car. Those things have some serious claws and I would have been worried about scratches.

Is the paint ok?

mulepacker

I would doubt if it left any scratches. These birds weigh next to nothing and keep take extreme care of their talons. They has don't want to damage them by any unnecessary pressure when they perch.

808997

Looks like he's checking out your wing. He's got wing envy.

cab&coupe

His behavior makes me think he may have been a trained raptor... perhaps a one time project of a Falconer. I had friends once that were into falconery, pretty interesting hobby. It was really cool to go out with them to fly their birds.

Mike in CA

That is extremely cool! Beautiful bird. (Your car's nice too. )

Carcam

That is a huge hawk- amazing encounter. A very curious raptor with little fear. I second cab&coupes idea. I have a friend who hunts with smaller red tailed hawks. He catches them when they are less than a year and hunts with them for another year or so, then releases them. It's a very special sport that requires a license. Sometimes when he takes a new one out to hunt rabbits and squirrels, an older one will come back and join the hunt. I can't believe you got the pictures too.

McCulla

I'm no ornithologist but that almost looks like a juvenile eagle. What a great animal!