# hawk



## woodtickgreg (Aug 29, 2012)

I was sitting on my couch and having my morning coffee and watching the birds and squirrels at the feeder. Peaceful and quiet, all of a sudden the birds and squirrels just exploded and vacated pronto. Here's why. Grabbed my camera and got a few quick pics, hard to hold a camera steady at full zoom without a tripod. 
[attachment=9809][attachment=9810][attachment=9811][attachment=9812][attachment=9813][attachment=9814][attachment=9815]
I'm not 100% sure but I think it is a juvanile coopers hawk. A bird hunter! He had no interest in the squirrels.


----------



## Kevin (Aug 29, 2012)

That's way cool. Not sure what kind of hawk it is either, but it looks like he had one claw always at the ready to snatch some unsuspecting prey. Great shots Greg.


----------



## Mike1950 (Aug 29, 2012)

Looks kinda like a Sharpshinned hawk to me- Unbelievable patience- watched one in my plum tree for 2 hrs once- they will sit in a tree that birds like and wait for one to land close enough to snatch. 2 trys and he had his bird and then they pluck all the feathers before they eat. They do Look like a coopers- I think if you look it up those bands on the tail are the key.


----------



## txpaulie (Aug 29, 2012)

I love raptors!

Would watch 'em all day, if'n I could make a livin' at it!:i_dunno:

Nice shots!

p


----------



## woodtickgreg (Aug 29, 2012)

txpaulie said:


> I love raptors!
> 
> Would watch 'em all day, if'n I could make a livin' at it!:i_dunno:
> 
> ...


Me too! Birds of prey are so cool.


----------



## woodtickgreg (Aug 29, 2012)

Mike1950 said:


> Looks kinda like a Sharpshinned hawk to me- Unbelievable patience- watched one in my plum tree for 2 hrs once- they will sit in a tree that birds like and wait for one to land close enough to snatch. 2 trys and he had his bird and then they pluck all the feathers before they eat. They do Look like a coopers- I think if you look it up those bands on the tail are the key.


Ok, now I gotta get my Michigan bird book out and see what it really is. At least I have a photo referance now. I have seen him swoop in here before.


----------



## Mike1950 (Aug 29, 2012)

Another day I watched him through the window- he was 10 feet away and knew I was there but he knows me and I do not pose a threat.
One day he swooped down after the quail- He nailed one but three of them crashed into my bay window- Dinner- they were delicious. A 3 bagger and I never fired a shot.
We have a small falco the sharp and a great horned owl as regulars. Amazing to watch.


----------



## Mike1950 (Aug 29, 2012)

Cannot really see his tail square =sharp rounded = Coopers


----------



## woodtickgreg (Aug 29, 2012)

Mike1950 said:


> Cannot really see his tail square =sharp rounded = Coopers


Rounded and bared. It frequents the bird feeder, kept wondering why I was seeing so many piles of feathers, thought it was a cat.


----------



## Mike1950 (Aug 29, 2012)

They are very close but sounds like a Coopers-when we fed the birds they were here daily. Had to stop cause the skunks got attracted to the seed.


----------



## woodtickgreg (Aug 29, 2012)

Mike1950 said:


> They are very close but sounds like a Coopers-when we fed the birds they were here daily. Had to stop cause the skunks got attracted to the seed.


Looked it up in my birds of Michigan book, deffinatly a coopers hawk, The shape of the tail and the markings on it are very distinctive between the two. They are year round residents here. We get an occasional rat under the feeder, I just shoot them with a sheridan pellet gun out the back door. 5mm solid lead pellet takes em out, got a scope on the gun and just shoot em in the head.


----------



## Mike1950 (Aug 29, 2012)

That is what I did with skunks 15 of them in one summer. No feeders-no skunks.


----------



## woodtickgreg (Aug 29, 2012)

Mike1950 said:


> That is what I did with skunks 15 of them in one summer. No feeders-no skunks.


We get a few raccoons once in awhile, an occasional skunk, they don't bother me. I like to watch them, they have not been destructive to my property, the rats on the other hand have chewed the hell out of my garage. My neighborhood is infested with them, their are so many that they get run over in the road. They are so brave they even come out during the daytime. And the cats in the neighborhood wont mess with em.:dunno: Wintertime is the best time to hunt rats!


----------



## EricJS (Aug 29, 2012)

Poor guy. Nobody wants to play with him. Seriously, those are beautiful majestic birds - I love watching them! By the way - great photos, Greg!


----------



## Kenbo (Aug 29, 2012)

wow, those pictures are fantastic. Thanks for sharing them.


----------



## woodtickgreg (Aug 30, 2012)

Roy my friend, you don't even have to ask me! Go right ahead, now i'm not going to be able to sleep waiting to see what you do with that.


----------



## HomeBody (Aug 31, 2012)

It does look like a Sharp-shinned. Similar to Cooper's but smaller. Head more rounded and thinner feet and legs. It's definitely an immature bird. Streaks on breast are vertical instead of horizontal and eye is yellow instead of red orange. My local Sharp-shinned hawks terrorize all the birds that come to my feeder. This week, he (they?) have a taste for doves. Lots of dove feathers around my place. Gary


----------



## woodtickgreg (Aug 31, 2012)

HomeBody said:


> It does look like a Sharp-shinned. Similar to Cooper's but smaller. Head more rounded and thinner feet and legs. It's definitely an immature bird. Streaks on breast are vertical instead of horizontal and eye is yellow instead of red orange. My local Sharp-shinned hawks terrorize all the birds that come to my feeder. This week, he (they?) have a taste for doves. Lots of dove feathers around my place. Gary


The only thing that says it is a coopers is the rounded tail and the bars of color on the tail, not the same on the sharp shined. Lots of doves on my feeder=hawk food!


----------



## Mike1950 (Aug 31, 2012)

They are very close- Either bird is cool to have around.


----------

