Swainson's Hawk

I spent about an hour counting birds in my yard this morning (using this nifty new iPhone app from eBird). I saw what I thought was a Turkey Vulture soaring high ovr the house. But when I got my binoculars on it I was pleased to see it was a Swainson's Hawk. This is a migratory species which is only in Texas during the summer. In the neighborhood we only see them during spring and fall migration. I got this photo which isn't good, but shows its unique light-and-dark pattern.



The body and fore-wings are light, while the flight feathers are dark. This is the opposite of the much more common Turkey Vulture's pattern.

Another migratory hawk I was excited to observe in the neighborhood was a Broad-winged Hawk. A few days ago, just after I got out of my car after arriving home, I heard its distinct call. It sounds very similar to a Killdeer, but does not make nearly the variety of sounds a Killdeer makes. I heard its call twice and was sure it was a Broad-winged. This species has bred in the neighborhood in the past. We are on the very western edge of its breeding range.