Quote:
Originally Posted by coltgov101
"...My family and I have six exotic birds that we bring with us on vacation every summer..."
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You'd like a scene at a dark blue van parked in Wolfeboro. As I approached it, I saw three Cockatoos standing on the dashboard.
As I got closer, three dogs leaped up inside and started aggressively barking—
at me! 
I asked the owner how birds and dogs get along in the same confines of the van. She replied, "The dogs protect the birds from strangers".
Oh.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lakesrider
"...It swooped down and grabbed a squirrel that was in a tree about 20 feet away from me and off it went..."
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A few years ago, a neighbor pointed out a gray squirrel sunning himself on a large oak branch directly over my head. Not 30 seconds later, a "whoosh"...a tiny squeek...and
a bald eagle had carried the squirrel off!
Quote:
Originally Posted by VitaBene
"...I had a huge chipmunk problem, undermining walk ways, etc..."
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The evolution of chipmunks began during the Pleistocene Era in order to undermine walk ways.
Heck, I train "my" chipmunks to run towards my whistle!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lakesrider
"...Piercing whistling scream..."
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If a "piercing whistling scream" was the hawk's cry, it was a Broad-Wing Hawk, which also has the pattern you describe. It's big enough to take a squirrel, too. Here's one in flight:
July 29, at the Libby Museum boat ramp, a hawk was flying overhead while being attacked by two Kingbirds. (Standard operating procedure for Kingbirds). Most likely, it was a Kingbird nestling we could see in its grasp.
I managed to get a distant shot which is enlarged below: