Hawk

Earlier yesterday, I saw an odd bird when I was on my way to dads in the morning (Later, Connor saw them by the gas station on his way back from our paper rout and they were Brown headed cowbirds) and I decided that I would bring my camera to the park just in case I saw it again. The first time all I saw that was interesting was a Spotted sandpiper and a pintail, but the second time, I saw a hawk.
As I was nearing the battle site bench, I heard an agitated chirping noise and not long afterwards a hawk came flying through the trees in a way that made it seem as though it was chasing after a bird (that coupled with the chirping noise that got louder when it approached). It was a small hawk, and it’s lighter colored tail made me think of a Kestrel, but I knew that that was unlikely. I also remembered that Connor had seen (and I had briefly seen) a Merlin around, so I wondered if that’s what it was. Either way, I went back down the trail a bit and into a path that some people had worn onto the ground in the forest to see if I could find it and get some photos of it.
The area I went into was pretty open (as in, not much brush along with well spaced trees. There was also moss) and it was just before the last open area with a bench that was before the battle site bench (if one was headed the way I normally walk). I didn’t have much luck finding the hawk at first. A Pacific wren alarmed once, but I didn’t know if that was for me or the hawk and it stopped after a minute. I then made my way into an area with more leaves on the ground.
Before I got to that area, I saw the hawk once, but before I was able to get a picture of it, it flew off.
Once I was in the area, I could see and hear some people walking along the path, I wondered if any of them would see me. (or hear me and mistake me for a bear or something…)
As I was looking up at the trees and slowly wandering around, I noticed that one guy had stopped and I think was a bit off the trail. He seemed to be facing my way, and I wondered if he had noticed me. Anyway, I looked back a bit later and realized he had started going pee. I made certain to keep looking up at the trees for a bit. (I still wonder if he noticed me afterwards…)
Not long after the guy left, I saw what I thought was the hawk fly into a tree. I needed to move to see it though. It turns out that it was the hawk, and I got a two photos of it before it flew off again.
It landed nearby, but I wasn’t able to get any photos of it before it flew off and I wasn’t able to find it again.
I believe it scared some squirrels when it was flying though, a few were alarming. Also, the crows were making noise as I left, but I didn’t want to hurt my neck by looking upwards any longer, so I didn’t stick around to see if the hawk would come back.
(Later I showed Connor the pictures and he told me it was a Sharpshinned Hawk, which was something that had come to mind after I took the photos)