Another encounter with the local Cooper's Hawks. On a bright sunny day, I heard the Cooper's Hawks calling. Two hawks were active in the trees around me.
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| Cooper's Hawk ( Accipter cooperii ) |
On an oak branch, I saw one perched, took a quick shot. The image was way over-exposed.
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| Hawk on perch |
I adjusted the aperture, returned to where the hawk was and got this shot as it launched from it's perched.
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| The deep breath |
Following the bird, it was obvious that it was in an attack dive.
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| The plunge |
About six feet above the ground it hovered briefly then dropped behind my fence. I lost sight of it.
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| The death blow |
The hawk flew up into a high oak and perched next to his mate. He had caught a Garter Snake and offered it to her. She did not appear interested. The female hawk is on the left, next to her tale is the snake.
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| Female and Male Cooper's Hawk |
The female Cooper Hawks are larger than the males. Here she sits on her perch while the male flies to a near by tree to eat the snake.
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| Larger female Cooper's Hawk |
Upon his return, she vocalizes the mating call and the start of a new clutch of Cooper Hawks begins.
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| Cooper's Hawks bonded pair |
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