The squirrels made an unbelievable noise outside, I thought they would get a hard attack all at the same time (yeah.. right!) while screaming.
I looked outside and spotted a magnificent fig spirit!
Not that often I could see those birds on the ground in our urban environment.
Enjoy!

The Guardian     Great Pics Igor....    We will make our New Banner with this Falcon...???   Hawk...????

Armando,

I just did some quick research and found that it was a Sharp-shinned Hawk.

Great pictures, well snapped.Thanks for sharing.

Those are some really awesome pictures! I like the first one with the hawk in the back of the tops of the fig trees.

Very beautiful photos, thanks for sharing.

Best,
Tam

Agree, very nice photos!

Unfortunately it does not look like he scored a squirrel this time.  Probably migrating this time of year.

The big redtailed hawks that I saw all summer soaring above my orchard seemed to to keep the squirrel population down.  Saw tufts of squirrel hair under some of my trees a few times.  :)

Thanks everyone!

Ed,
I think you are correct, this time he was checking the territory. It is not easy to score a squirrel in my area, a lot of old huge trees where the tree rats are hiding but he tried!

Great pictures.  Could use a dozen or more of these in our yard.

Nice photos. There are lovely raptors in my area too. Redtails and sharpies, I think also an owl at night, and who knows what else. There was a hawk sitting in the top of an oak near the house last week. Crows were diving at it. Sometimes I see one sitting on top of the street light in front. All the better to patrol the yard. :)

Something has been keeping the population of gophers, ground squirrels and bunnies at a more managable level this year. Probably a combination of large birds and snakes and coyotes, and the occasional bobcat. And of course trapping. Go Nature!

Gina,

We have the owls too but they are not very large species and get usually mice and small critters.
See my owl photo I took some time ago.
I am really proud of this shot, it took me a while to get this close although I could hear her every night.

Note: Please Right Click - open in New Tab/Window with your mouse to see the right photo size ratio.

Very nice photos!! We have red-shouldered hawks around plus some owls. Maybe he will stay once he gets a taste of your fig fatted squirrels....

Great photo thanks for sharing it.

On my property, I have a mating pair of Red Tailed Hawks that live in a Sycamore tree. There are numerous Great Horned Owls and Barn Owls. I have observed them hunting many squirrels. I also shoot many squirrels with my rifle. The squirrel population is doing just fine. The birds of prey will never starve, and I will never run out of shooting targets. I think the only strategy for me is to plant enough figs for both me and the damn squirrels.

Paul,
You are lucky to live in the country side, I don't think you can shoot anything except the ppl in Los Angeles :(. (Sorry, couldn't resist to say that...)
Our squirrels are quite numerous but the food is plenty. I hope they will stay away from my figs, I was surprised that nobody touched the persimmons this year.

Luigi shown here can zig and zag and catch any rabbit that dare enters yard
and caught several in past .
Our Yorkie has done the same .

Veggie garden was made rabbit proof and do not see them much anymore.

Awesome visitor for any fig garden! Nice pics. Hope he hangs around for you

Thanks, BLB!

Martin, Luigi looks like a proud owner of that patch and completely in charge :D !

The dogs of that size almost do not exist in my neck of the woods, they are too small to fight off a coyote or a large raccoon or a mountain lion in an extreme case. Golden size is the most common. 
Because of the same reason very few cats wonder outside. 

Martin: You have a very nice yard and look like a beautiful house too, thanks for sharing.

Best, 
Tam

Greenfig 
coyote's hear come from wooded area across street i have seen them from time to time but only 1 at a time walking right behind back of yard behind the chainlink fence usually after midnight and before dawn and reason why i'm always in yard with them no matter what time
of day it is.

On another note the rabbits that our pets have caught they do not harm that i know of as i intervene and they run back under and if small enough right thru the chainlink fence as i witness this but those are the little ones.

I used to tease my wife saying "one of these days im going to get the scatter gun and shoot them pesky wabbits" but i dont
hunt anything unless for food.
We really do not have animal problems here like i read some do with coons and stuff even the birds here are stunod
enough to whistle back and forth to me while i sit on patio but do not bother the figs just come to enjoy the large fountain and take thier baths in all the while it sits in middle of the large fig plants and have been doing so for years.

House is less than a mile from the Franklin Mt. Hawk Watch. Raptors are everywhere! They do an excellent job of keeping the critters at bay. Nice pics!