As the finch and sparrows regrouped and the plump doves gathered again on the ground below, I could help by think of the people of. Ukraine, Gaze, Iran and every other place under aerial bombardment. I guess we all have the capacity and grit to pick up their lives with an amazing calm.
What a lovely, metaphorical reminder that gentler, more collaborative squabbling resumes after evil threats -- no offense to Coopers hawks in this anthropomorphic analogy -- disrupt the world order, and the world order picks up were it left off. Wonderful photo.
Thanks Fran. I couldn't help but add that coda as I thought of how people surviving ongoing aerial attacks in so many places in the world, through so much history, seem capable of continuing their daily lives in the midst of live wars.
Beautifully done, Leslie. And what a sight that must have been. I saw a peregrine soar from 100 to 100 metres (or higher) the other day, with no apparent effort. Mesmerising.
Thank you Jeffrey for the comment and the supportive restack! I have only seen a peregrine from afar. I have new binoculars and I am hoping to get better at using them for better birdwatching. It seems that practice is the only way to improve.
The urban wilderness, worthy of David Attenborough. I can hear the music in the background. Your beautiful garden is filled with delights, Leslie!
Thank you for the introduction to Coopers Hawks. Of course I had to look them up and saw that raiding bird feeders is one of the things they are known for. The hawks I know of here are Red Tailed Hawks - so beautiful soaring in the sky. Hawks are such majestic creatures!
Until watching this Cooper (and looking it up) I hadn't realized that they do not hunt by soaring circles like the Red Tailed, instead they use these guerrilla raids. I don't know if you saw James Bailey's comment below. He describes his observations of how agile they are in their attacks.
Leslie, you described it beautifully and perfectly. We have three feeders on a tree in our yard and we have a Coopers that sits and waits high in the surrounding trees and then drops in for the attempted grab. What’s always so beautiful in its own right, is the mid-flight tilt he makes to move his talons to the side to try and grab a house finch or goldfinch, and how he then pivots on a dime back to horizontal and upward at the same time. All of which happens in complete silence. Most of the time he leaves empty handed, and the finches survive the attack. Other times, occasionally when I come home from work, I see feathers on the grass below the feeder, and as you say, the music and the feeding on the feeders having resumed right on cue.
Wonderful James! I hope I will see a Cooper in flight, it sounds so much more graceful than what I witnessed as it crashed land on the top of the feeder after its miss. I have read that their attacks are so fast and aggressive that they sometimes break small bones. Before this, I thought all hawks hunted high above in circles with superior eyesight. Watching, witnessing, so much to learn about the natural world.
Oh, such a beautiful and powerful metaphor, Leslie. I love how you described this!
As the finch and sparrows regrouped and the plump doves gathered again on the ground below, I could help by think of the people of. Ukraine, Gaze, Iran and every other place under aerial bombardment. I guess we all have the capacity and grit to pick up their lives with an amazing calm.
I felt it, Leslie.
What a lovely, metaphorical reminder that gentler, more collaborative squabbling resumes after evil threats -- no offense to Coopers hawks in this anthropomorphic analogy -- disrupt the world order, and the world order picks up were it left off. Wonderful photo.
Thanks Fran. I couldn't help but add that coda as I thought of how people surviving ongoing aerial attacks in so many places in the world, through so much history, seem capable of continuing their daily lives in the midst of live wars.
Incredible and of course, once again the lessons we can take from nature. Thank you, as it calms me to remember. 🪷
Beautifully done, Leslie. And what a sight that must have been. I saw a peregrine soar from 100 to 100 metres (or higher) the other day, with no apparent effort. Mesmerising.
Thank you Jeffrey for the comment and the supportive restack! I have only seen a peregrine from afar. I have new binoculars and I am hoping to get better at using them for better birdwatching. It seems that practice is the only way to improve.
The urban wilderness, worthy of David Attenborough. I can hear the music in the background. Your beautiful garden is filled with delights, Leslie!
Thank you for the introduction to Coopers Hawks. Of course I had to look them up and saw that raiding bird feeders is one of the things they are known for. The hawks I know of here are Red Tailed Hawks - so beautiful soaring in the sky. Hawks are such majestic creatures!
Until watching this Cooper (and looking it up) I hadn't realized that they do not hunt by soaring circles like the Red Tailed, instead they use these guerrilla raids. I don't know if you saw James Bailey's comment below. He describes his observations of how agile they are in their attacks.
Yes - I saw that comment. It is so interesting to know the differences between these beautiful hawks. Thanks again for sharing, Leslie!!
The living must resume, right? What other choice is there? Beautiful piece, Leslie.
Thank you Elizabeth. Yes, it does seem to be a universal principle--our species included.
Leslie, you described it beautifully and perfectly. We have three feeders on a tree in our yard and we have a Coopers that sits and waits high in the surrounding trees and then drops in for the attempted grab. What’s always so beautiful in its own right, is the mid-flight tilt he makes to move his talons to the side to try and grab a house finch or goldfinch, and how he then pivots on a dime back to horizontal and upward at the same time. All of which happens in complete silence. Most of the time he leaves empty handed, and the finches survive the attack. Other times, occasionally when I come home from work, I see feathers on the grass below the feeder, and as you say, the music and the feeding on the feeders having resumed right on cue.
Wonderful James! I hope I will see a Cooper in flight, it sounds so much more graceful than what I witnessed as it crashed land on the top of the feeder after its miss. I have read that their attacks are so fast and aggressive that they sometimes break small bones. Before this, I thought all hawks hunted high above in circles with superior eyesight. Watching, witnessing, so much to learn about the natural world.