Cooper's Hawk "Lifer"- Right in My Backyard!

On Sunday, Alesia alerted me to a hawk in our backyard, checking out the busy feeders, no doubt. I grabbed my camera and was able to take several photos through a window before the hawk flew away. 

Initially, I thought this was a Red-shouldered Hawk. But after posting this picture on Facebook, including the site for the Carolinas Nature Photographers Association (CNPA), a couple fellow birders said it may be a Cooper's Hawk instead of a Red-shouldered.  My friend and neighbor Richard pointed out the long tail, which is distinctive to the Cooper I now know.  

So I went to my go-to source for such questions: whatbird.com's Bird Identification Forum.

Nice to have another "lifer" bird- especially in my own backyard. And thanks to the birding community for the identification assist!