Subject: Re: Identity of Starling-devouring-raptor
Date: Dec 30 14:05:54 1997
From: Cliff Drake - birder at juno.com


Someone already mentioned this, but "A Photographic Guide to North
American Raptors" Brian K Wheeler & William S. Clark has a series of
pictures of Coopers and Sharpies. It's in the Seattle Library System. I
was going by size, but I really shouldn't guess. I had a Sharpie hanging
around in my yard when I lived by Northgate and this one seemed to be a
lot bigger. The Sharpie had trouble lifting off with a Starling while
this one flew straight up into the tree. It all happened so fast I only
got a short unaided look.

On Tue, 30 Dec 1997 09:25:53 -0800 Diane de Ryss
<deryssmacon at halcyon.com> writes:
>Cliff:
>
>I've seen what I believed is a sharp-shinned hawk in the Ballard
>neighborhood you've described.
>
>In truth, I find it EXTREMELY difficult to tell different hawks apart,
>
>especially when they go off into different phases.
>
>Can anyone out there in Tweeter land give a quick guide on how to
>differentiate a Cooper's from a Sharp Shin (without analyzing their
>shins!)
>
>Diane de Ryss
>deryssmacon at halcyon.com
>
>
>Cliff Drake wrote:
>>
>> Sunday morning while walking to the grocery store I was watching a
>group
>> of starlings feeding on the parking strip across the street (On 26
>Ave NW
>> between 61st and 62nd in Ballard) when a fast blur swept in and
>grabbed a
>> starling. The rest flew away complaining loudly while the Cooper's
>Hawk
>> (just a guess, it was almost crow sized, but I'm sure it was an
>> accipter.) stood with the screaming starling in its talons. Crows
>flew in
>> from all sides, cawing and rattling, but not getting too close. The
>hawk
>> stood there until the starling was quiet then flew into a nearby
>tree
>> with its prize. I went on to the store to buy my dinner pre-killed
>in
>> neat plastic-wrapped packages. In spite of the sudden death it was
>quite
>> a sight.
>> =================
>> Cliff Drake
>> Seattle, (Ballard) WA
>> Birder at Juno.com
>