For the past two days a Cooper's Hawk has raided/ tried to raid a squirrels
nest. What I find interesting is that it's the same nest raided x2 and there
are multiple nests in the area directly off my back deck - to my knowledge
the other nests at the moment are not targeted by the Hawk.
Even more interesting, to me at least, is the fact that 2 Crows chase off
the Hawk. What a racket the Crows make! I have seen no indication that
they have a nest in that tree, in fact I did watch a squirrel inspect it
after the Hawk left and then later enter the nest. I am sure once the alert
is issued by squirrels or other birds the crows maybe pick up on the
intrusion or from the tree tops see the Hawk enter the area
I don't know what sort of radius crows might claim as territory?
The entire show lasts less than a minute. Both times, despite my motto of
ALWAYS have the camera ready to shoot at a second's notice, I have not been
ready and have not been able to capture the Hawk and Crows. Which leaves
me kicking myself for about an hour. It is my understanding that if the
Hawk really wanted to it could take out one or both of the crows?
I just thought the entire last two days of Hawk versus Crows was an amazing
thing to witness. Survival of the fitess in the burbs.
(the area behind my deck is home to: sparrows -song - tree - house - white -
throated, Cardinals, Mourning Doves, Chickadees, Tufted Titmouse, Blue
Jays, Finches, Carolina Wrens - male and female should have hatchlings soon,
Robins, and the occasional Raccoon.)
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