Hi MV,
Query - How do you account for a Buteo which should only be 5 times (fully stretched and including the tail) the length of the pine needles?
On my computer screen, the longest needles measure 12mm, the bird 70mm, a six-fold size difference excluding the tail and with the bird foreshortened due to perching (as you say!) cocked, more-or-less horizontal. I just can't make it small enough for a Buteo. I also agree with Arnel, I think the bill is largely not showing, pointed almost straight at the camera with only the tip showing to one side.
It'd be interesting to know where this is - all we know is 'New York', which is a pretty huge state, this doesn't have to be in a Manhattan city garden! Matt, can you give a few more details about the area & habitat, please?
One more point - Pinus strobus branches are not overly flexible. That is a heavy bird, to bend a branch like that to the extent it is doing. When I've seen Buzzards (close to same size as R-t Hawk) perched on similar size branches, they haven't bent that much.
Michael