I took my lunch hour to see what was about on the Mall, especially near the Tidal Basin and the Lincoln Monument. The Tidal Basin had Herring, Greater Black-backed, and Ring-billed gulls, Double-crested Cormorants and a pair of Pied-billed Grebes. The area around the Monument was strangely silent. The woods near the DC Veteran's Memorial were absolutely devoid of birds. A flock of Fish Crows (talking to each other) was near the Lincoln Monument. Herring and Ring-billed gulls were at Constitution Gardens, as well as *beaucoup* Canada Geese. When I reached the east side of the pond at the Constitution Gardens, I found the (probable) reason for the lack of land birds. here is what I saw: Under a bunch of bushes stood an immature Cooper's Hawk, hopping around and apparently eating *worms*! I got a very close look at him (30 feet). After a bit he (it was the size of a male) got tired of the snack, and harassed a squirrel. He flew up into a tree, and spotted some crows foraging on the grass. He took off for them, skimming the ground, and the crows flew up. One was a little slow, and the hawk was upon him. The crow uttered a scream of terror ("eeek"--I have never heard this sound from a crow!), but the hawk was only playing and never touched the crow. The hawk flew up into a tree, and the American Crows (now easily identifiable) mobbed him. So he took off after another one of the crows, and flew right on top of the crow, matching it wing-beat for wing-beat and turn for turn, for 30 feet at least!. Then the hawk broke off, perched in a tree and relaxed. He never touched the squirrel or any of the crows. So much for the raw recital of facts, now for my anthropomorphic interpretation: this was a bored and well-fed hawk having some fun! Not many birds, but the noon walk was memorable! Jim Jim Felley Smithsonian Institution irmss668@sivm.si.edu