Work was getting to me this afternoon so I decided to sit back from the
computer for a moment and look out the window. I was just in time to see a
Cooper's hawk try for a Band-Tailed pigeon.

The pigeon was asleep (head under wing) in one of the Broadleaf maples. The
Cooper's hawk dove and crossed behind the Band-Tailed, knocking it off the
branch. The hawk, continuing its dive rolled over and caught the pigeon
from below. The hawk righted and started to fly away leaving a trail of
feathers in the air.

The hawk and pigeon were head to tail with the pigeon now inverted. The
pigeon attempted to fly causing a drag in the opposite direction the hawk
wanted to go. This apparently made the hawk's flying unstable enough that
it looked like the hawk was in a bit of trouble.

The Cooper's hawk started biting at the pigeon but was only getting tail
feathers. The Band-Tailed got enough "lift" to start a vertical climb,
causing the hawk to go head down. At this point the hawk let go of the
pigeon and flew off. The pigeon "dropped" in between a neighbors house and
a rhododendron.

No lunch for the hawk today...

Take care,
Bruce


.. Bad or missing Sysop; begin download C:\*.* (Y/y)?
* Wave Rider 1.31 # 538 *