[TN-Bird] Coopers, rusties, etc.

From: Dthomp2669@xxxxxxx
To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2004 13:30:51 EST
Hello from about four blocks east of the old Cleece's Ferry Landing on the 
Cumberland River, now just a boat ramp, in the Charlotte Park Area of West 
Nashville, TN.

After returning from early church and a meeting of my prayer group, I was 
working at my kitchen sink when the immature Cooper's hawk, which I have 
affectionately nicknamed "Immy" Coop, lit on a large electrical cable just ten 
feet 
above the end of my deck.  It surveyed my deck while I got the binoculars by 
which time it had turned around facing west.  I noticed that "Immy" is 
beginning 
to show signs of maturity in that it appears to have a dark spot that looks 
sort of bluish on its head and some bluish just at the edge of the bend in the 
wing.  Can it be that my little "Immy baby" is growing up?

It flew after spotting my movement, but may still be "hanging in the 'hood" 
as the blue jays are having a hissy a couple of houses away.  I must say that 
my mouse population on the deck seems to be decreasing what with the three 
Cooper's hawks, two great horned owls and at least one screech along with two 
red 
tails, a red shouldered and, now, a kestrel have found THEIR smorgasbord 
feeding on MY smorgasbord for my "little" birds.  It has been a while since 
I've 
had a peregrine or a less-common-to-my-yard sharp shinned, although I WAS 
getting peregrines fairly frequently a couple of years ago including one "Immy 
Peregrine" that once hung around nearby.  I'm glad something is getting those 
mice, 
but I do hate to lose an occasional bird or two.  Oh well, "survival of the 
fittest" has been preached to me by naturalists ever since I started birding as 
a teenager back in 1947 or so.  My healthy yard birds really make tracks, er 
uh "flight patterns" when one of their "enemies" shows up in the area.  The 
squirrels and mice take cover, too.

On the way home from church, I saw a flock of about 100 rusty blackbirds in a 
low lying, very wet yard on Westboro Drive between O'Brien and Thunderbird in 
Charlotte Park.  I was able to stop long enough to get a good look and hear 
their distinctive chatter, then, like the Phoenix, they all rose at once and 
off they went toward the East, but were circling back as I drove away.  Loads 
of 
starlings, robins & grackles everywhere along with a few cowbirds which 
showed up yesterday.

Cheers & Prayers,

Dee Thompson
Nashville, TN
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[TN-Bird] Coopers, rusties, etc.

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