The soon to be year old Cooper's Hawk stopped by to check out the feeders early on the 6th. You've got to love young hawks, I opened the kitchen door and stood 18' from the hawk with a 500mm lens in my hand for this photo. An adult would have been gone the moment it saw my shadow. The next two images were taken through the window.
Needless to say non of the birds stuck around to be it's next meal but the Cooper's left me a clue to it's last feast.
As I watched from the kitchen window it coughed up a pellet (mid cough above and below)
Once the hawk left the yard I collected the rather petite pellet, seen below, and pulled it apart.
The blue feather seen above leads me to believe a Blue Jay was a recent meal though Bluebird can't be ruled out. Further examination found body feathers and a few feather shafts.
I guess you never really know what you'll find as you look out the kitchen window and try to be a small part of Mother Nature's daily class room!
A brief video of a (the same?) Cooper's Hawk from Dec. 31, 2010
A young Cooper's Hawk sat on the fence post in the yard and let me approach
quite close for this short video. The hawk had recently eaten,
the buldge in it's chest is it's full crop.
quite close for this short video. The hawk had recently eaten,
the buldge in it's chest is it's full crop.
What a magnificent bird the Coopers is, lucky you having it in your back yard, great image!
ReplyDeleteOn another note Phil, I have family in Indianna, near Kendaville. All being well I will be visiting in July this year, can you give me any info on what owls are resident and tips on how and where to see them????
Cheers Rid.