I think that this might be a Cooper’s Hawk that briefly perched in the mesquite tree next to the bird feeders. This hawk, like all hawks, is an opportunistic hunter of small prey including birds that might be feeding in our back yard.
I noticed the bird in the tree when I was in the dining area. I went for my camera and managed to get this shot of the hawk from a distance of about 25 feet. Click on the image to enlarge.
