When Things Fall into Place

photo courtesy of Dennis Swayze

Sometimes things fall into place as was the case for a Cooper’s Hawk site visit. For the most part there are always branches to deal with that can make shooting difficult and frustrating.
Mrs. Cooper’s had just received a meal from her mate and had perched on a low hanging bough over the path…no branches to deal with this time.
They are commonly found in parks and residential areas of the city.
With a diet consisting mostly of small birds but will often take squirrels as well… their ability to fly through thick bush boggles my mind to watch when they are focused on prey.

Out of Nowhere

photo courtesy of Dennis Swayze

Pre-feeding at the Coopers nest I had been searching the bush for an adult. Out of nowhere a kik-kik-kik-kik-kik…which reminds me of a kazoo is heard. I now had company and assumed she was warning me I was trespassing on her territory.
They tend to be very defensive and protective of their young and are known to attack intruders…even humans.

Soon after this close encounter the male is heard…off she flew to retrieve the meal he had brought in.

Birds Eye Observation

photo courtesy of Dennis Swayze

For some you may already know…something I find intriguing.
Coopers Hawk chicks when they hatch have yellowish eyes while the adults have reddish eyes.
Same for Osprey only reversed…young Osprey have red eyes and the adults yellow.

The eye color changes for yellow to red in Cooper’s and from red to yellow in Osprey as they become adults.

Why is this…I have no idea.
Simply some tid-bits of information from the Bird World.