- Yolo County Barn - Open Edition Print from Watercolor Original
- White Pelican Open Edition Print from Original Watercolor
- Western Meadowlark Open Edition Print
- Robin's Rooster (Kitchen Chicken Art) Print from Original Watercolor
- Roadrunner 1 - Open Edition Print from Original Watercolor + Ink artwork
- Reuben Sleeps - (Reuben the Rabbit) Open Edition Print from Original
- Reuben in the Garden - (Reuben the Rabbit) Open Edition Print from Original
- Mourning Dove - Open Edition Print from Original Watercolor
- Magpie 4 - Open Edition Print from Original Watercolor
- Lady - Stylized figure Open Edition Print from Original
Cooper’s Hawk on the Hunt
I regularly drive up Highway 70 above Marysville,CA. It’s orchard country,and I often catch glimpses of a Cooper’s Hawk swooping low through the trees in pursuit of some small bird that is frantically trying to evade those deadly talons.
Immature Cooper’s Hawk
A photo and sketch of a young Cooper’s Hawk that I came across the other day.
Another Cooper’s Hawk
through the trees.
I recently posted about a low flying Cooper’s hawk, but the only photo of mine that I had was of one flying overhead. I know; he was up there for a long time! The other day a Cooper’s hawk buzzed me again; and he was gone before I could even look at my camera. Recently, however, I got this shot of a Cooper’s flying through the trees out by the Sacrament river.
Cooper’s & Sharpshin Hawks
I was driving along the levee on Cache creek when all of a sudden there was a flash across the windshield. As I put on the brakes and turned my head I saw a Cooper’s hawk flying at full speed. He looked just like the one that I’ve seen patrolling the orchard flying through and under the walnut trees in search of prey. This one, however, had something in pursuit of him; it was a much smaller version of himself. It could have been the female which is somewhat tinier; but this one was smaller still. I think that it was the Sharpshin hawk. They did a few spectacular aerial maneuvers and then they were gone. I think that it was likely a territorial skirmish. It all happened so fast that my hand barely got near the camera.
Cooper's Hawk & Red-winged Blackbird
Red-wing in charge!
The Cooper’s hawk is a real terror for smaller birds. While hunting they like to fly fast and low through wooded areas. Around here they will stake out a walnut orchard for their own personal hunting grounds. I’ve seen their terrible proficiency in capturing small birds. With this in mind I was surprised to see an occasion where the tables were turned. Apparently this one Cooper’s hawk had ventured into a breeding area of Red-winged blackbirds. There was this Cooper’s hawk trying to make it to the security of a tree with a Red-winged blackbird firmly attached to it’s back. I lost sight of them, so I don’t know how the story turned out; but it seemed like the Red-winged blackbird was squarely in control of the situation.
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