Subject: [Tweeters] Juvenile Cooper's Hawk at Magnuson - 8/16/11
Date: Aug 17 10:33:41 2011
From: Barbara Deihl - barbdeihl at comcast.net


Was out for a birding walk around mid-afternoon, checking out some
meadowy areas near the rugby field (?), leash-free dog paths and north
of Kite Hill. After seeing lots of panting dogs and scant birdlife,
except for a finch or three (probably House) and the occasional small
group of Cedar Waxwings, my friend, Ron & I heard an unfamiliar bird
call coming from the direction of a large deciduous tree SW of us,
about 20' off the path. I spotted a bevy of waxwings alternately
perching and flying near the treetop, but that wasn't what was sending
out the call, which was, as I recall, a rather soft, plaintive almost-
peeping sound, coming from one bird. Ron then spotted a Cooper's
Hawk, perched about a third of the way down the tree on a large branch
on the left side. It was facing away from us, but every now and then
it turned its head and we both watched for the beak to open and close
as the calls continued, but we couldn't see any indication that this
bird was vocalizing - nary a throat movement. It wasn't until the
hawk flew off (while we weren't looking) and the calls abruptly
ceased, that we confirmed that the sounds had been from the Cooper's
Hawk. It was an unbanded immature female (quite large). I wondered
if perhaps the youngster was still begging for an adult to bring it
some food? The sound the bird made we likened to that unexpectedly
inelegant screech that comes from the "majestic" Bald Eagle - here was
another bird of prey with a wimpy cry!
If this speaks to any of you, I'd love to hear what you know or have
experienced with young Cooper's Hawks vocalizations - or point me in
the direction of a good resource that includes the calls of juvenile
Cooper's Hawk.
One other question: this bird had a few white spots on its back, each
below the other, not all in a vertical line, but definitely not
horizontal like the fake eye spots I've seen on some other birds
(ocelli?) Would these just be part of the usual juvenile plumage? Or
irregularities due to molting?
That was the highlight of the afternoon birdwalk, if you don't count
the fact that it was a lovely sunny, breezy and not-too-hot (or cold)
summer afternoon.

Barb Deihl

North Matthews Beach - NE Seattle

barbdeihl at comcast.net