Subject: [Tweeters] Cooper's Hawk - Short-eared Owl interaction+
Date: Nov 7 11:15:18 2005
From: Desilvis, Denis J - denis.j.desilvis at boeing.com


Tweeters,
Here's an untypical observation for my yard birds: Yesterday, late
afternoon, I heard a Cooper's Hawk vocalizing as it flew toward land in
a big-leaf maple next to my house in Roy (WA - south of Ft. Lewis). It
continued to sound off as it flew to the east past the corner of the
house, landing on one of the blue spruce trees (living reminders of a
former Christmas tree farm). As I walked around the house, I saw a
Short-eared Owl at the top of another blue spruce - the hawk was a
couple of trees away.

As I watched, the hawk, which didn't stop vocalizing the entire time,
flew out to the east, then back west, "buzzing" the owl. It did this
several times (the owl didn't move), then flew off to the northeast,
landing in a large Douglas-fir. After a few seconds, it vocalized
several more times, then flew off east.

The owl shifted position a bit, preened, then flew directly east to one
of the large Douglas-firs along the edge of the wetland below the house.
My wife told me she saw the owl fly off and start coursing the wetland.

I've had several other types of interaction (Norther Harrier/Red-tailed
Hawk; Common Raven/Red-tailed Hawk) at the house, but not anything like
the Coop/owl.

Another sighting: the local Northern Shrike took a pass at the
Chestnut-backed Chickadees feeding at one of my feeders on Saturday. I
found what appeared to be some chickadee body feathers close to the
feeder, but I didn't see the shrike actually capture any prey. The
attack was a pounce -- the shrike was atop the Douglas-fir in which the
feeder is hung (the feeder is well back from the dripline of the apx
10-yo tree). After sitting on top the tree for about a minute, the
shrike flew sharply downward, then into the opening in the branches to
the feeder. I lost sight of the shrike after the intial rush.

May all your birds be identified,

Denis DeSilvis
Seattle, WA
mailto:denis.j.desilvis at boeing.com


Denis J. DeSilvis
Phantom Works - Advanced Lean Enterprise
206-655-1938
http://card.web.boeing.com/WebCard.cfm?id=7248