Just in case one should show up on the far end of your binocular,
particularly on the Olympic Peninsula or south along the coast, 54 nestling
Cooper's hawks have been banded in the greater Victoria area in the past 3
weeks. This is a study by Andy Stewart and Wayne Campbell of the provincial
Wildlife Branch, to document nesting densities of this species in the urban
areas of Victoria.

In total, 16 nests have been found this spring in Victoria, s. Saanich,
Esquimalt and View Royal, a relatively small area with, to me at least, a
surprisingly high density of Cooper's Hawks. Fourteen of these nests have
produced young to the pre-fledging stage (54 bandable birds). Some have
already left the nest; others will follow soon.

Local birders have been asked to report banded and unbanded fledglings.
These young birds will often remain near the nest site for a week or so,
and reports of unbanded birds may help the study team locate new nests next
year...those that were missed this year. The adults often nest in the same
general area in successive years.

In Sept/Oct, it is likely that some of these birds will be moving across Juan
de Fuca Strait from the Rocky Point/East Sooke Park area of s. Vancouver
Island. A major southward movement of raptors occurs there each autumn,
with Cooper's Hawks being a significant part of that movement.

We may never know if a banded bird sighted in Washington or Oregon is one of
the Victoria birds, unless of course the band is read. Nevertheless, every
bit of information could help.

Sightings can be reported to me at the Victoria Rare Bird Alert (604) 592-
3381 or here on Tweeters; or to Andy Stewart, Wildlife Branch, Parliament
Buildings, Victoria, BC, V8V 1X4.

Check the RIGHT leg.

Bryan Gates, Victoria
bgates at assessment.env.gov.bc.ca