I was taking a photograph of sparrows and goldfinches at my feeder during a rare lower Alabama snowstorm a few years ago. By sheer happenstance a female cardinal flew through the frame and demonstrated that birds are not always flapping while flying. She is out of focus but it is clearly obvious that her wings are fully folded in. It is probably an energy-saving technique. I have seen small birds fly through chain link fences without stopping. I would guess they use the same ballistic technique.
This flowering cherry has been in our front yard every since we moved here. Each spring it would bloom profusely much to the delight of the local bees. With the tree and its blooms on their mind, they were fairly oblivious to anything else. Unfortunately, the tree itself was near the end of its lifespan. The first few years were great, but lately, it has not been putting on as much of a show. There are several other old cherries in the neighborhood and they have also been declining as of late.
We are not 100% positive, but we believe that this Coopers Hawk caught a young Northern Mockingbird in our front yard. While frequently seen attempting to scare insects out of cover in our slightly long grass, they also seem to have a fascination for Pennington 
