Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Cooper's Hawk in the snow...

The spotted hawk swoops by and accuses me,
he complains of my gab and my loitering.
Walt Whitman
Song of Myself, LII

I’ve always liked this line from Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself (click here for an online version of the poem). It makes me laugh. I definitely have been scolded by hawks for loitering...

I don't think a Cooper's Hawk was the "spotted hawk" Whitman wrote about in his poem, but this Cooper's Hawk sure seems to be accusing me of something and complaining about it too!

...and he has every right. Our hawks have lost their perfect backyard perch—the dead limb on the half-dead weeping willow tree that extended out into the yard for prime viewing. "Where's my limb?" he complains. "What have you done with it?" he accuses. For years the hawks always perched on that limb—the hawk branch. It was so hawky it even had its own name. Cooper's Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawks, Sharp-shinned Hawks, and once or twice, even a Red-tailed Hawk, have claimed it, watching the comings and going of everything in our yard, including us. From the perch, the hawks could see directly into our kitchen. We miss the limb as much as the hawks do. It was always a treat to walk into the kitchen and find a hawk sighting us. The hawks are making do with the other branches in the willow, the ash, and the mulberry trees, but it's just not the same...



...the snow was pretty, but it didn't last long!

25 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

i hate when you lose a favorite perch, be it limb or whole tree!

Montanagirl said...

Very nice shots, Kellly! I haven't seen much for Hawks in our yard this last year.I sure am enjoying seeing the Snowy Owls Though!

Roy said...

Yeah, birds don't deal well with change. Heh, heh! That's a gorgeous Cooper's. Good shots!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Great picture of the hawk, Kelly. We got a tad of snow here also--with extremely cold temps... Not much fun!!!
Hugs,
Betsy

Dina said...

Nice shots! I love those tiny snow drops on his head in the last one.

KaHolly said...

Oh, Kelly, nice captures!!

Unknown said...

beautiful photos ! That guy look so much like a owl. hawks are awesome to me. I always watch them as the circle around overhead.

- KAT -

Lois Evensen said...

Beautiful images.

We used to have a cat perch branch outside out kitchen window. :)

Gillian Olson said...

Great pictures, he's a beautiful bird.

Modesto Viegas said...

Great captures!

Janice K said...

How magestic looking....I think he was posing just for you.

Kerri Farley said...

Gorgeous captures! What a Regal look he has!!

holdingmoments said...

They certainly have that 'look' about them.

Unknown said...

Wonderful images in the snow Kelly.

John said...

Happy New Year Kelly. What photo's and the Poem as well. I have been buzzed by Buzzards on walks but your Hawk looks moody in the snow.
John

Chris said...

Wow that a beautiful sight and very nice captures you got.... Looks like we got more snow than you did and less hawks ;-)
Happy new year Kelly!

Rick said...

Great way to kick off the new year. Happy New Year.

Elaine said...

I can see why he is giving you the evil eye. You've rearranged the tables in the diner, and that always gets the regulars stirred up when they can't sit in their usual spot. Now they have to go to all the work of finding a new "perfect" spot.

Dan Huber said...

Wonderful capture of a real beauty. I also havn't had many hawks visible in the yard, but may soon as the feeders are becoming more busy.

Kelly said...

...thanks, everyone! Hawks are so gorgeous...and big. It was always so cool to walk in and see them staring into the kitchen, listening to the noise we were making. Oh well....

Guy said...

Hi Kelly

I enjoyed both your beautiful photos and the quote from Whitman.
A really nice post.

Guy

forgetmenot said...

Beautiful capture. Mickie :)

Jeremiah said...

Regarding Whitman's "spotted hawk": what do you think he had in mind? Red Tail?

Mary said...

wow...what a beauty! Those are great shots!

liz Cutler said...

Stu.ning photo!