In late winter a pair of Cooper’s Hawks built a nest in a neighbor’s yard, and their presence meant there were way fewer birds at the bird feeders until early summer.
My neighbor thinks that this couple’s nest may have come down in a storm but they rebuilt a new one and started over. That would explain why it feels like we’ve been under the reign of terror from hawks for almost three-quarters of a year now.
I was afraid they might discourage other bird species from nesting on our block, but plenty of baby birds have been showing up in our yard lately.
The baby hawks started practicing their flying and solo hunting in July. When that happens the parents coast high in the sky keeping an eye on youngsters who soar much closer to the ground as they search for birds and mammals to target.
Here’s one of the young ones sitting in the oak that borders our backyard. It was scaring all the birds from the feeders with its repeated shrieking. Not the best hunting strategy.
One day when I was weeding one of my flowerbeds I heard a commotion and looked up to see a young hawk trying to snatch something from under the bird feeders.
I startled it by shouting because I was afraid a songbird was about to bite the dust right in front of me. But the prey turned out to be a chipmunk who wisely scurried up a feeder pole and hid in the baffle. The hawk eventually gave up and flew off.
Cooper’s Hawk’s are beautiful birds and expert hunters, and I know they need to eat too. But I’m hoping this couple will find someplace else to nest next season. Until my feeders were bare for weeks on end, I never realized how much winter birdfeeding lifts my spirits during all the snowy, gray days.