Hi all --

In recent years we have seen not only an increase of Cooper's Hawks breeding in this area (around DC) but also, many more wintering in suburban locations. At least, that is my impression -- I know a number of years ago we had to really look to find one for CBCs but now -- well, quite a few around.

One "niche" which some have learned to exploit is the suburban strip mall, you know, the kind with lots of yummy House Sparrows and Starlings hanging around. Our little corner at Colesville (Randolph Rd. and NH Ave., Mont. Co.) has one bird that frequents the area -- a week or so ago we came out of the Post Office to see him (her?) sitting rather boldly out in full view in a street-side tree -- it was an immature so not the same bird that terrorized the starlings last year. Yesterday I was driving home from Burtonsville and saw a Cooper's dash across Rt. 29 into the Briggs Chaney center. There is also a bird hanging around Del Mercado strip mall at Bel Pre and Layhill. In the past there has been a Cooper's at the Glenmont center as well, haven't seen one this year but a couple of years ago Barry and I were en route to a Montgomery Bird Club meeting, running late, and were sitting in the parking lot of the McDonald's (OK, I know...) gulping down burgers and watching the sparrows and starlings piling into a evergreen tree for their evening roost -- when out of nowhere a Cooper's dived in, right over our car, grabbed a sparrow and was off! I don't recall what the MBC program was that night but I sure recall the prologue to the evening!

Gail Mackiernan
Colesville, MD