In mid-August we had a Cooper's Hawk here for a short bit. It managed to take out 2 pigeons in 3 days. I thought "oh man, they are early this year!" because normally we don't start to see migrating hawks in our backyard until mid-September. But the hawk moved on.
Then nothing in way of hawks for many weeks. I even commented to Angie how odd it was that we were not seeing any hawks all through September.
Now, mid-October, about a week and a half ago I saw another Cooper's Hawk. This one appeared to be very thin. It was not successful in a hunting attempt and left.
A couple days ago Angie spots one out back. My first glance I thought it was a Sharp-shinned Hawk because it didn't look as big to me. Another look and I agreed it was a Cooper's; perhaps a male? With birds of prey, the male is smaller than the female, so a male Cooper's could be mistaken for a female Sharp-shinned with just a quick glance, missing finer details such as the shape of the tail tip for one.
Yesterday we had another visit from a hawk. Now there was no mistaking that this one definitely was a Cooper's Hawk. The screaming birds out back alerted me to the predator's presence.
So like what I normally do if I feel like going outside for a better look, and hopefully a photograph, I step out the front door. I then go up the side of the house. I then put on my imaginary Ninja gear and go into stealth mode, trying to conceal myself at the back corner of the house, skulking along the back wall, the side of the deck, the greenery along the fence, whatever, just to hopefully see the bird and not spook it away.
I was fortunate yesterday because one part the bird was very focused on the hunt. It was sitting on a piece of lattice that we have in the garden for our morning glory plant to have something to grow upwards on. The hawk was peering down into the honey suckle bush beneath.
It was peculiar because most times the hiding birds will shut right up and it will be eerily quiet. This time, not the case as the sparrows all screamed loudly. The Blue Jays in the trees above added their own disapproval to the hawk's presence.
It wasn't long before the hawk made it's way to the ground...
and began a hunt around the perimeter of the honey suckle, looking for it's next meal. Then not long after that, it came out with a sparrow in it's talons and flew up to a tree behind the shed to enjoy it's meal.
My poetic moment here... I did not pursue as a hawk must eat too. I've seen it happen and did it once myself a long time ago, flushing a hawk off it's kill, unintentionally of course, and the bird abandoned it's kill. A wasted death. A hawk goes hungry until the next successful hunt, if it makes it that far. Often at this time of year, there is a juvenile on the brink of starvation out there trying to survive. Spooking it away from a meal could be the end for that bird.
I was happy none of my pigeon pals were present and fell victim. I wish I could warn them when they are here and all seem so content (and oblivious). I know Charlie will catch on quick to the threat and most likely pull another disappearing act.
Oh the drama I create in our backyard! How's your yard action?
2 comments:
We saw hawks and heard the owls earlier in the fall, but all has gone silent and peaceful now. I think maybe the birds of prey are hovering around the newly harvested bean fields. We would frequently see them on the fences and hydro wires, perusing the farm fields in the summer. (The same farm fields are full of turkeys too!)
Our two back yard feeders are busy with blue jays, both types of nuthatch and chickadees. No sign of the grosbeak yet. Our across the road neighbour has many grey jays hanging about his place!
We had about twenty robins here for the longest time, but that has dwindled down to one adult male and female. They usually hang in here until first snow.
Pretty cool. We had very little this year for hawk action in the yard. I did see one Sharpie come in & snag a Purple Finch (horrible to listen to!) but otherwise, it was pretty quiet.
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