I was all set, getting ready to leave the house to go to the Dentist. Then I saw a flicker of gray in the garden and crept to the window. It was a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk, resplendent in knitted pantaloons. If I was little, I would ask my Nana to knit me a stuffed Hawk just like this one.
The Juvenile was very skittish and as I went to get my camera out of the drawer, I noticed a squirrel staring intently at the hawk from the fence. Part of me wanted to warn the squirrel but I really wanted a photograph… We have plenty of squirrels and this one was curious, not scared! Baby Cooper posed so nicely for me, showing off her fabulous plumage. I need to get an outfit of taupe and steel gray now.
Eventually, I made a noise as I was trying to poke the camera through the Venetian blinds and the hawk flew off straight into the squirrel. My heart was in my mouth wondering what would happen next but the feisty squirrel fluffed up her fur like a cat and terrified Baby Cooper. They eat much smaller prey than squirrels. Our squirrel stood her ground, saying, “That is MY Nut Mom and MY garden.”
Please come visit us again, little hawk! I want to see those yellow feet…and those fluffy pantaloons.
EXCITING UPDATE
When I went out on the walking path yesterday, I met Baby Cooper! She sat in her tree while I have a one side conversation with her. There is an open invitation for her to visit my yard.
Postcards from Kerry 
I used to get these in my yard when I had chickens. Beautiful raptors!!!
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I hope they didn’t catch any chickens?? Thank you, Rob!
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No, but a fox did. I rehomed the chix after that.
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Aww! Poor wee chickens…😥
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A beautiful bird and so close!! Is this usual? We have all manner of hawks and falcons here too but none that stand their ground when approached! Great photos too! 🙂
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I was taking the photo from inside my window but it was just a few feet away on the deck. Our garden seems to attract critters with it backing onto a forested reserve, fresh water on demand and a deck to hide under. Critter Gite, perhaps??
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I still think it amazing that your movement didn’t startle it enough to fly away! And credit to your very clean windows as the photos do not look like they were snapped through glass! 🙂
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My windows have just been cleaned, so perhaps that helped! It’s a good wee compact Sony. I am really good at moving silently…especially when I am hungry!
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Haha you are certainly fortunate with your animal visitors! 🙂
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You will have interesting conversations with this bird!
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I had an equally interesting conversation with a juvenile black vulture that I met on my walk…🤪
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Great pictures, Kerry!
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Thank you, Pit!
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You’re welcome, Kerry!
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Hope you are enjoying this lovely fall weather!
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It’s quite cold just now, only 62 degress after a cold front went through. And we had a little rain. So, not really lovely weather, but enjoyable nevertheless.
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Fantastic pictures Kerry. It won’t be long before this male sparrowhawk will be king of the forest and your backyard. We have them too, from Barskimming Estate. I feed birds all year round and it is like having the Golden Arches beside your property. I reckon that as it takes a bird only 3 days to die if it is not fed and that it makes it more likely that a brood will survive, that feeding the birds results in more survivals despite the sparrowhawk and cat predation.
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Thank you, Katharine. Cooper’s Hawks are a little bigger than sparrow hawks but they do enjoy eating little birdies. Our trees are well stocked with food for the critters so our peanuts are just a treat. The squirrels eat pinecones like corn on the cob!
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Wow – what a visitor!
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Thank you, MB. I love raptors!
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A fabulous experience Kerry. A good looking little Hawk. Need a photo of you dressed like that 🙂
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Now that’s a challenge! A gray cloak over a tweed trouser suit, perhaps? Plus the yellow boots…😁
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👍😁
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And so she will
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🥰
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Isn’t it great when a new bird comes into your garden! I haven’t seen anything like this one, he looks very exotic to me. Lovely photos Kerry, showing his lovely plumage and a fun read too!
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Thank you, Helene. Cooper’s Hawks are relatively common here, as are many others because we live in a forest. Americans think starlings are exotic!
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What a great little friend to have in your yard!
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Thank you – he is a great little friend!
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I can tell!! So sweet💜
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We have two hawks in my neighborhood, but I’m not sure what kind they are. They aren’t grey like this one!
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Thank you, Ann. We have mostly red tailed hawks here – much bigger and brown/red.
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Wow! I think It’s your guest! Well captured! Thanks for sharing 😊
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Thank you so much, Priti!
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Look forward to hearing about more one-sided conversations.
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LOL! It did occur to me that I looked like a crazy woman talking to a tree…
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Wow, what a fascinating visitor, Kerry and you captured him so beautifully. While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, some species of birds of prey are considered among the most beautiful ones and for me, they are definitely hawks. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Thank you, Aiva! Baby Cooper is a relatively common hawk here but still so pretty.
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Fabulous pictures Kerry. Loving the CooperHawk pantaloons. Rocking the MC Hammer look… can’t touch this🤣
I love feeding the birds but have a small hawk eating them and leaving the carcass on the grass 🫣
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The great circle of life… Just think of the fluffy baby hawks who need fed too. 😍
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WOW! Awesome captures.
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What a wonderful compliment from such an accomplished photographer! Thank you, Cindy. It was just a really lucky shot.
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What a delight to have this majestic bird grace your garden! Good point about taupe and steel. Funny how nature harmonises everything so much better than we can.
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It was a delight until I smelled some decomposition yesterday. Methinks he may have dropped prey that crawled under our deck…
Yes, nature does give us some lovely examples of complementary colors!
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Oh No. That does not sound good. Let’s hope it decomposes fast. In our old house, we had a rat that got into the ceiling and would chew on the electrical junction boxes. When we threw rat bait up there, it naturally died, but got wedged into the fibreglass bats and couldn’t run to water, as the warfarin is apt to make them do. The smell was awful.
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The smell seems to have disappeared…🤞
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Phew!
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What a beautiful bird!
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I love her hooded eyes – thank you!
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so gorgeous.
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Thank you so much, Saania!
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My pleasure ❤️💜
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The claws are sharp and the photos are superbly taken. Beautiful !
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Thank you so much!
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Oh well captured Kerry. I could never photograph wildlife, even my still-life pics come out wonky.
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LOL! Well there were a few wonky shots that didn’t make the post…😊
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Absolutely adorable. Are pictures of the baby following?
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Thank you so much! He was the Baby or more correctly a juvenile. They leave the nest looking full grown but their behavior shows if they are young or not.
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Seems the Cooper’s Hawk will also miss the backyard deck.
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I met him in the trees close to our house, so he has plenty of territory. 😊
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