GASTONIA, N.C. -- It's a rare glimpse at wildlife -- an up close and personal experience with an endangered raptor in the most unusual of places: a Gastonia family's yard.

Two, not so tiny, baby red-shouldered hawks nesting in a tree just a few feet from the Reverend Kelvin Collier's front door.

Tree trimmer Benji Smith made the discovery while topping off limbs.

"As soon as I went over the top of them, they spread their wings to the side like I was going to feed them," Smith said.

It's an especially unique opportunity for the Colliers and neighbors to learn about a dwindling raptor species.

Schiele Museum naturalist Steve Pin said nearby Gastonia municipal golf course may be one reason for the unusual location of the nest. That and the constant drain to wildlife from development.

"These birds are getting pushed around," Pin said. "Golf courses are a good place for these birds to forage. Golf courses are forested close by, there are streams close by and green areas close by. It’s good habitats for these birds."

So, minus the enormous bird droppings generated, the Collier family feels fortunate to have been chosen to host such special birds of prey.

"We have to learn to be patient and understand why God put them here and for what purpose,” Collier said. “If I can understand that then I can understand what he has done and learn from it."