The house directly behind us has been seemingly dormant since the beginning of COVID. We guessed it is owned by snowbirds, most probably from Canada. If you remember, it was extremely difficult for Canadians to leave or enter Canada until recently. It has been eerily quiet while on our back patio making for peaceful morning coffee and breakfast by the pool. Life is grand. Then the new neighbors moved in.

For days now there has been incessant squawking. OMG, are we going to have put up with new neighbors that fight all the time? Now, every morning, squawk, squawk, squawk! Then they go out for the day. Every evening, more squawking. They haven’t even had the decency to introduce themselves. We’ve been getting used to the increased noise, turning on our fountain to mitigate the intrusion.

It turns out that our new neighbors are also quite loving. In between the fits of squawking, there are public displays of affection not seen since the freewheeling 60s. I’d normally complain about the loving, but our new neighbors are beautiful specimens, worthy of a second look. I’m not sure I want it to stop. Squawk, love, squawk, love. It’s been non-stop for quite a few days.

It’s now time for you to meet our new neighbors, a pair of newlywed Harris’s Hawks looking to start a family.

Mr. and Mrs. on the roof of our neighbor’s house.

Would you care for some lunch, my dear?

How many hawks do you see?

Quite the specimen.

During the coupling process a mockingbird expresses its displeasure with this type of display.

With the coupling nearly complete, the mockingbird does what it does best, it mocks.

Good night from our new friends.

I wonder what will happen when our human neighbors return.