![Dora patrols the skies](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5735/22427950014_735bf54e51_b.jpg)
She kept circling, then flew east, only to quickly return to a spot almost directly over the nest site.
She was followed by a Peregrine falcon.
![Dora the red-tail takes on a falcon](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/599/22429575583_66e51d1bc2_b.jpg)
In a flash, she barreled vertically, talons-first, towards the invader.
![Dora the red-tail takes on a falcon](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5752/22658516129_f1340d00e9_b.jpg)
Angry words were briefly exchanged before Dora chased the falcon down Avenue B.
![Dora the red-tail takes on a falcon](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5668/23037213282_5b9b532065_b.jpg)
Later the same day, more activity in the sky over the center of the park grabbed my attention. Pigeons scattered, at least one red-tailed hawk could be seen above the trees, and there were at least two additional raptors. At first, I thought the falcon had returned, but I believe the newcomers were sharp-shinned hawks:
![Sharp-shinned hawks?](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5692/23036628452_fbe26f73ac_b.jpg)
I'm not 100% sure that's what they were as they flew around so fast and it was hard to see, so if anyone knows better, please comment.
![Sharp-shinned hawks?](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/585/23061389301_bc58e42794_b.jpg)
It's hard to tell from this photo, but the head is reddish brown and the eyes are yellow, so it's not a Cooper's hawk (which I kind of expected as one was hanging around this same area two weeks ago).
![Sharp-shinned hawk?](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5787/22631780558_5fd3ec567b_b.jpg)
Meanwhile, Christo kept busy cleaning up rats.
![Christo with a rat](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/670/23063961092_fd82289371_b.jpg)
![Christo with a rat](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5766/22659230017_41437e2601_b.jpg)
Why, yes, he is pulling the head off this one...
![Christo eats a rat's head](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5670/22711818689_56f2caa477_b.jpg)
...and that is, indeed, a rat's head in his mouth...
![Christo eats a rat's head](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/643/22685688348_061ac3ecd2_b.jpg)
![Christo eats a rat's head](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/704/23090353962_b51252d3aa_b.jpg)
After Christo had finished eating, this ballsy squirrel scampered right up to him.
![The confrontation](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/600/23104479085_9c7513fd8a_b.jpg)
But Christo wasn't in the mood.
![The confrontation](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5721/22507630983_472cc126ff_b.jpg)
At sunset, both Christo and Dora perched atop the cross at Most Holy Redeemer church on E 3rd Street, surveying their domain.
![Christo & Dora atop Most Holy Redeemer](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5720/22711482148_14b20d1ee6_b.jpg)
In other hawk news, check out this incredible post by Roger Paw who witnessed a juvenile red-tail in Washington Square snatch a pigeon right out of a man's hand!
See more hawk photos on my Flickr page.
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