Check out the sharp shinned hawk and Cooper's Hawk in the links below. I've watched a sharp shinned hawk take a number of birds off our feeder and on the ground. Watched small birds evade capture by diving into holly trees or hedges, too. When I've "confronted" them after a kill, there's always been a stare down, and an ending where they fly off with their meal, just like you described.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sharp-shinned_Hawk/id

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Coopers_Hawk/id