All,

I returned home this morning after an early doctors appointent just in time to witness what I'm guessing is a very rare event. I opened my blinds overlooking the feeder stations and saw feathers flying everywhere. On closer examination I saw a large Cooper's Hawk (female?) plucking the feathers and eating the organs of what appeared to be a small Sharp-Shinned Hawk. After the initial shock I watched for about 15 minutes as the carcass was stripped clean of feathers from vent to neck and the Cooper's Hawk tucked in and proceeded to eat the other bird. After about 20 minutes of rest the Coop flew off and landed in some dense firs and Junipers just at the top of my lot. I went out to see if there was anything retrievable and found a badly mauled head and the left wing of the bird. The wings appeared to be in rough shape and on closer examination I saw they were very infested with some sort of mite. I threw the carcass into the brush below the house to let nature finish up with it - all in all a very interesting morning.
I get both Cooper's Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks through regularly as my feeder station is a preditors smorgasborg. I just never though Hawk would be on the menu.

Rob

Rob Conway
Camas, WA
45.58?N 122.44?W - elevation 310 ft.
robin_birder at hotmail.com