I shooshed the sheriff

(singing) ...but I did not shoot the deputy.

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I shooshed the sheriff, but I shot a sharp-shinned hawk.

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Lemme explain. Driving slowly one morning, just a few blocks from the office, I saw this bird sitting in a small tree. It's just a little fella... approximately the size of a pigeon. I pulled over so I could take a minute to get a photograph. There were no parking spaces, so I put my blinkers (hazard lights) on, and while the car was still running, I began to walk back, stalking this bird. I laugh now, because it would be obvious to anyone that I had assumed a predatory posture, and the camera may not have been clearly visible.

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Next thing you know, a police car pulled up right next to me, and the officer said something through the open window. I didn't hear exactly what he said, so I turned my head and said, "Shhhh... bird." And I pointed to the tree. He stayed there, and I continued the prowl. After a few pics, the bird took off, and when I turned back around, the cop was gone.

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I hurried off to work, grinning all the way, because I shooshed a police man. I didn't give it much thought as it happened because it seemed the natural thing to do.

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Back at the office, I Googled this bird, and near as I can tell, it is a sharp-shinned hawk. They are supposedly common around here, but this is the first time I ever noticed one.