I was driving today on the freeway when I noticed the flock of starlings
blackbirds and crows get up and form their defense and leave. Then some
crows started to mob something on the ground. ACCIPITER! So instead of going
right to go home, I take a left on my exit to head to the scene and when I
get there, I pull into the field a little and all of the crows are settling
back down so I figured I missed the hawk. Then I start driving back but
before I leave, I drive by real slow, sure enough, something didn't seem
right. There was a bird sitting with about 5 other crows and that bird
didn't look like a crow. I let my eyes focus and sure enough, it was an juv.
male cooper's hawk with a starling. The 5 crows were about 3 feet from it
and one was about a foot away. They're were trying to look all big and the
one closest had his beak up in the air trying to intimidate the coop. I
started walking to it and I go within 10 feet from the crow when he flew off
with dinner in tow. A crow that was way far away put on the afterburners and
chased him right over the freeway to a group of trees. It's so cool to see
how fast a crow can really fly. I know, but it's so neat to watch them. You
rarely get to see a crow's true speed because whenever they're chased by a
falcon or accipiter, there's no time whatsoever to fly fast, you just have
to use all the maneuvers you know.

Blake Iverson
WA




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