November 26th, 2005 -- The photographer's message included some interesting observations and so is reduplicated below:
I've attached a photo of an immature Cooper's Hawk, taken today (11/26/05). It is perched on a lower branch of a Grand Fir tree in our yard, where it has a good view of our birdfeeders. I observed it preying on house sparrows, and traumatizing squirels. I did not see it catch anything.
We live in northeast Seattle, in an urban environment. We have observed immature Cooper's Hawks in our yard for about the last three or four years. We have not observed any mature birds up close, but I think I've seen pairs soaring high up. We have also sighted bald eagles recently, about 4 sightings in the past two weeks. I've also observed a small falcon-like bird high in the Douglas Fir trees in our neighborhood. From it's coloring (blueish gray wings and back), it appears to be an adult bird. It is smaller than the Cooper's Hawk, with a more swallow-like wing in flight. I think it might be a merlin.
(Photo by Kim McCormick)
© Canadian Peregrine Foundation