Why does she do it?

4:36:44 PM The Cooper's Hawk left the neighbor's antenna at 4:00PM. At 4:10PM Doorstep was still in a secure location low in the Maple tree near the trunk. Official sunset was at 4:25 PM and sometime during Civil Twilight Doorstep had moved down to the Bird Bath. I discovered her at 4:36PM. For whatever reason she goes to great lengths, or it seems, to be in that spot if at all possible each evening and leaves after dusk.

4:37:09 PM After the Cooper's Hawk left the antenna it appeared that the Crows were tracking him to the park. Doorstep who usually keeps and eye on the sunset and on whoever might be looking from the house has shifted her position on the bowl slightly from her usual.

4:37:33 PM She is very alert and focused toward the park.

4:37:33 PM She scans to the NW and her body is shifted at an angle from which, if she took off straight away, she would intersect with the Spruce trees that are not far.

4:38:02 PM Almost dusk, her feathers begin to fluff and she allows more focus away from the park.

4:38:29PM She's very hard to see from the house, dusk has arrived and she has completely fluffed her feathers to compensate for the drop in temperature. By 4:45PM she is gone to roost. What is it that pulls her here every evening? Why does she do it even when there is a hawk stalking the area?

Donegal Browne