Sunday, September 16, 2012

Cooper's Hawk Story

I have been planted several Desert Willow Trees and Texas Rangers which require some -- not a lot -- of water. So, I have also been extending our irrigation system. Yesterday, I was sitting on the ground digging a trench to bury the water line when a Cooper's Hawk flew down and sat on the ground about 20 feet from me. It seemed a bit odd -- for both of us -- so we stared at each other for a bit. Then, even more to my surprise he started walking toward me. Now, it was only three or four feet but it still seemed curious. Then the "mystery" was solved. He grabbed something off the ground and flew off into a tree. I am guessing that he had captured this "something" and I scared him away. Sooner of later, hunger got the best of him and he decided it was worth the gamble to come back and get it. I don't usually take my camera with me when I am working on the property, but I have a previous photo of a Cooper's Hawk on the ground eating a quail he captured:

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk eating a Gambels Quail

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