FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Cooper's Hawk Stalks Prey - photos

["Mayhorn" <mayhorn@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Area Birders,
A couple of days ago I was fortunate to be looking out at my feeders when an 
adult Cooper's Hawk sent small birds flying in all directions, then came to 
rest on the top stone of my pond waterfall.

 The hawk sat there for a couple of minutes, then flew to the ground near a 
Goosberry bush. In the bush was a nervous male cardinal and two White-throated 
Sparrows. The hawk went under one side of the bush and out the other, but the 
birds stayed put.

It then repeated the process, and the pressure was too much for the smaller 
birds. They came shooting out of the top of the bush, as the hawk scrambled to 
get out from underneath. The small birds were gone by the time the hawk got 
airborne. The hawk perched for a few minutes in the cherry tree not far from 
the feeders. It finally gave up and flew off into the nearby woods. I caught 
some of the drama on camera, and you can see the photos at
http://www.pbase.com/mayhorn/chase

Enjoy the birds,

Roger Mayhorn
Compton Mt
Buchanan County