Jan. 9, 2003 Bartlett-Memphis Shelby Co. TN Yesterday, I pulled up to one of the busiest corners in Memphis only to look up on a telephone post and notice a small hawk perched. I pulled into the service station and positioned my car to view this adult Cooper's Hawk giving the intersection a cold, calculated study. It sat for a good 5 minutes occasionally bobbing its head, measuring distances to a very precise degree I'm sure. It finally slip its perch and sped down the street making a sharp turn between two buildings. I see a lot of Cooper's in residential areas but it is always a pleasure and surprise to see such a creature in a busy business district. What makes it even better is all the unknowing souls passing all around. I've seen a Goshawk in midtown Memphis, so nothing is a complete surprise. On Cooper's, we recently had our discussion of their prey size carrying ability but go to the Illinois List and read about one taking a healthy full size Mallard that had just flown into a feeder, killing it and dragging it under a bush to feed. When you are hungry you will try anything. Last night, while leaving my son's house around 9 PM, I heard distant short, puppy like barks and ran back in to get my grandson. We stood listening as the barks became clearer and finally, with eyes straining, saw the slim white vees of Snow Geese, their breasts faintly glowing from the reflection of lights in the subdivision. They were steadily going west toward the waiting rice field feasts. I've shown Ryne the flocks of Snows in Mississippi before but this was his first at night migration. He summed it up as "neat" and I left him straining to hear more night sounds. Good Birding!!! Jeff R. Wilson OL' COOT / TLBA Bartlett Tenn. =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. ----------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958 =========================================================