Subject: A fledgling coopers hawk
Date: Jun 13 21:15:58 2004
From: Rob Sandelin - floriferous at msn.com


Yesterday, the normally cocky stellars jays seemed very "nervous" at the
feeder. Instead of boldly taking over the feeder, they flitted in from the
shrubs, grabbed some seeds, then quickly dashed back to cover. Hmmmmm. I
walked out and noticed right away the silence. Usually my yard has bird
conversations and murmurings. Silence. Hmmmmmmm. It took me about 5 minutes
of concentrated looking before I found the large lump I was expecting, but
not in a place I expected. As I got closer I kept thinking it would fly, but
it did not and "it" turned out to be a fledgling Coopers Hawk, in the
Salmonberry thicket not far from my feeder. It was only 5 feet off the
ground, and looked wet, bedraggled and I thought at first it might be
injured or otherwise ill. Nope, it was not very alert though, finally it
noticed me and gave a squawk, then with a great deal of flailing about,it
flew off, very awkwardly, into the forest.

I followed it into the dark woods where it was perched on cedar. This time,
it was paying attention and as soon as I appeared it flew again, this time a
bit more gracefully, deeper into the woods. As I returned back I noticed
that the bird chattering around the feeder had returned.

Later one of my daughters came down to my office excited that there was a
hawk outside the window. Sure enough, the fledgling coop was perched on a
cedar branch intently watching the feeder with its back to the window. After
a couple minutes it launched off towards the feeder, the only bird in view
was a towhee who zipped into the bushes. The hawk showed up twice more in
the yard, but has not been seen again today. I almost wish there was a
Purina Hawk chow I could feed the poor hungry thing, as the birds here seem
much too fast for this slow, clumsy youngster.

Rob Sandelin
South Snohomish County at the headwaters of Ricci Creek
Sky Valley Environments <http://www.nonprofitpages.com/nica/SVE.htm>
Field skills training for student naturalists
Floriferous at msn.com


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