I’m not one to complain about my neighbors. Live and let live, right? But Mr. Hawk has truly become annoying. You may recall that earlier this summer while flying overhead he almost dropped his takeout dinner on Mom. Since then not only has he clumsily littered our driveway with more mice, he’s become very vocal. Thus earning him the new nickname of Mr. Screechy!

At first I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps he had a growing family to feed? I assumed the constant screeching was his offspring demanding food. I’ve been know to bark once or twice at mealtime. However, on one particularly annoying day I thoroughly scanned his favorite haunts with binoculars, and realized he was all alone up there. And no wonder he’s alone! Who’d want to listen to all that screeching morning, noon and night?

Mr. Hawk screeches while sitting in his favorite tree in our front yard. He screeches in his favorite tree in our backyard. He even screeches while flying over our house between the two trees. I especially feel bad for our neighbors, Trouble and Bella, because Mr. Screechy loves to just sit on their roof screeching away at all hours of the day. Oh and don’t get me started on how the “mighty hunter” likes to circle above the field constantly making that racket. It’s a wonder he can find any mice to drop in our driveway. All of his screeching gives them more than enough warning to hide. Unless of course that is his plan? For the mice to become numb to his constant screeching causing them to ignore him. I wish I could ignore him so easily!

Mr. Screechy also fancies himself a night owl, by rudely talking over our owl friends. Sure their gossiping about the neighbors can get annoying with them always asking, “who?” Yet that’s no excuse to screech at them. I suppose he could be worse though. Mr. Screechy could hold loud parties with his fellow hawks that last late into the night like the coyotes.

I’m not the only one annoyed by his constant cries for attention. On more than one occasion I’ve seen the small sparrows go after him in an attempt to shoo him away. But alas he always returns. Robert Frost once wrote, “good fences makes good neighbors.” In this case I think it should be, good noise canceling headphones make good neighbors!