Monday, October 22, 2007

Cooper's Hawk

Cooper's Hawk is comfortable
coming up onto the deck.



It will be half an hour after he leaves before any other bird will be comfortable coming up to the deck.

28 comments:

Lisa at Greenbow said...

What great pictures. We have a Coopers Hawk that frequents our feeders. It thinks our feeder set-up is its smorgasbord.

I like watching them hunt. Especially when one chooses to chase squirrels.

~Red Tin Heart~ said...

You are so lucky to see him up so close. Wonderful picture.
I have nominated you for a Thinking Blogger Award. xoxo Nita

Anonymous said...

Ah Hawks are beautiful, you can always tell when they around. There's no birds and quiet.

The French Nest said...

Oh he's incredible! I notice a lot of hawks and turkey vultures flying overhead at work and they are just magnificent!

Kate

Mary said...

I Love the Hawks. I'd love to hold one. I have a Cooper who visits me regularly. It reminds me that I am doing a good job.

regina barnett said...

What a lovely bird. How excited it would for me to see like you did. Thanks for sharing.

dmmgmfm said...

Wonderful photos! He is rather intimidating, isn't he?

Sprite said...

*****

Coopers Hawk looks pretty comfortable there. He looks like He lords over the land. I bet those other birds are quiet.

Just beautiful! Thank you!

*sprite

Jayne said...

WOW, just look at that tail! Beautiful shots Sherry!!

Q said...

Dear Lisa,
I would love to see Cooper's go after the squirrels. We have so many! As it is Coop goes for the Doves and the Sparrows. We have lots of them too!
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Nita,
Thank you for the Thinking Blogger Award.
Very kind of you to think of me and Corner.
Cooper's Hawk was very, very close!
I had to step back to get all of him in the photos.
I had not seen a Cooper's Hawk for a few months. Nothern Harriers were hunting the back yard this past summer. They are just too big for small backyards!
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Cathy,
The little birds do scatter when the Hawks are about.
Now that Cooper's Hawk is comfortable coming up onto the deck I expect I will see him all winter.
Hope so!
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Kate,
You have been a busy girl! Not only do you have two jobs but all of your art and Mum time! Thank you for popping by.
The Raptors are very beautiful. Once in awhile I will see Turkey Vultures over the house and gardens. I think they are looking for road kill. About every 6 weeks a deer will be hit by a car near my house. It always makes me sad.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Mary,
I agree! The hawks do let us know we are doing something right in our habitat. Whenever the Hawks are near I am awed...
My heart beat increases when they are in the backyard.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Regina,
They are exciting! Not only do the small birds scatter but the Blue Jays sound the alarm. I have seen the rabbits scurry too. I grab the camera.
Cooper's stayed for a spell on the deck yesterday so I was able to get many photos of him looking about for lunch.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Laurie,
He is! Whenever he comes so close to the house I am so surprised!
The feeding stations are right near the deck and lots of the birds take cover under the deck and in the side bushes. I have seen Coop fly around the house and through the front porch rails.
Awesome birds.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Sprite,
I actually saw two of them hunting yesterday. Only one on the deck. I think if they worked the backyard in pairs they would be very successful.
He does look as if he is ruling the backyard! Mockingbird does keep his distance when Cooper's Hawk is about.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Jayne,
The tail is impressive. For so long now my husband and I have debated, is this a Cooper's Hawk or a Sharp-shinned Hawk? We keep thinking Cooper's.
Sherry

Chrissie said...

He certainly does look grand! It's just a shame they can't be vegetarian :-)

Deb said...

Coopers Hawk is striking - being able to see him up close you can see the intelligence and interest in his eyes. He has full reign of the garden.

~Red Tin Heart~ said...

Sherry, check out my blogger trick or treating. xoxo nita

Karen Owen said...

Wow! The hawk is so impressive!

Karen

Q said...

Dear Chris,
Yes, it is too bad, although my gardens are already eaten up by the deer, groundhogs, raccoons,
rabbits and opossums! The Hawks do help keep the sparrow and dove populations in check. I have not seen any mice for a very long time either. I do like Cooper's Hawk very much. My husband says I won't like him so much if he gets the Carolina Wrens!
He is right too.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Deb,
He is regal! Not fierce like a Falcon. I have never seen a Falcon in the wild. I think they are very cool. I like the Raptors. I regard them with much respect!
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Nita,
Will pop right over!
BOO!
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Karen,
He really is! Seeing him on the deck, maybe six feet from me was very exciting!
Sherry

smilnsigh said...

Oh he is beautiful. Although I don't like the way he scares the other birds. But, that's the way of Nature. :-)

Mari-Nanci

Q said...

Dear Mari-Nanci,
Cooper's Hawk is an incredible bird. I really like the fact he hunts in my yard. Having him so close is very exciting. He helps to keep the sparrow population down. I have way too many sparrows.
Sherry