Falcon! [Hawk!]

A few minutes ago, I was standing in my kitchen, and I looked out through the French doors to the sundeck, and there, sitting on the wooden railing was a falcon. Before I could get my camera, it flew off. Moments later, I was standing in the big room near the picture window, and the falcon flew right into the window! Birds have hit that window before--and, bird-lovers, I have taken steps to deter them--but the thud of that falcon into the window made me scream. Later, I saw the falcon flying from one large oak tree in my yard to another. It seemed to be staking out the territory of my yard.

Falcon recovery has been an important project in Wisconsin in recent years. Here are some pictures of Wisconsin peregrine falcons.

I will try to find more information about what to do about my bird-luring window.

UPDATE: At 4 p.m., the falcon was back, sitting in my pear tree. I went and got my camera and positioned myself at the window. As I zoomed in, just before I made the shot, he flew away. Maybe the zooming-in lens caught his eagle eye, his falcon eye. I'll get some pictures soon, I think, because it looks as though he's taken up residence in these trees. And as he flew away, he called out, so now I know his call.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Chris says he's seen two falcons, more than once. So there must be a nesting pair in our yard! I say this to Chris, and he chides me for assuming the falcons are of opposite sexes.

FINAL UPDATE: I got a photograph at last, and one of the local bird lovers tells me it's a red tailed hawk, not a falcon, so nothing recently endangered, but a pretty cool hawk nonetheless. Imagine looking out your window and seeing one of these ten feet away from you: