Good Morning - I'm a brand new birder (but life-long appreciator) and have
been lurking on the list for several months.  Thanks for all the wonderful
reports!  For the past several months I've had a frequent visitor 3-5 days
each week - I think a Cooper's Hawk, or maybe several different ones since
the size seems to vary.  I've had feeders in the yard in American University
Park forever so I guess it's a cafeteria for the hawks.  Several days ago
there was a large Cooper's (I think, though I thought they stuck to
songbirds) who had a squirrel and stayed hunched over it for several minutes
until another hawk flew off from my Maple tree.  Then she resumed eating
until a neighbor cat scared her into the Maple where she stayed for at least
40 minutes while I watched from an upstairs window.  I swear her eyes were
blood red flashing to amber when she looked at me.  Eerie.  I finally gave
up and left the window hoping she'd finish her meal or at least take the
carcass away.  Quite an exciting afternoon and the next morning there was
nothing but a small stain to show it really happened.  About an hour ago I
had a yard full of Cedar Waxwings in a flock of Robins at the birdbaths.
I'm so excited about them because it's my first backyard viewing and I only
saw one for the first time last Fall!  Anyway, sorry for babbling but this
is so exciting.  Thanks for all your posts and I'll return to lurking now.  
Bonnie Coe
American University Park 
NW DC


-----Original Message-----
From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Paul Mackey
Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 7:52 PM
To: 
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Cooper Hawk in Hagerstown

Hello, 

Living inside the city of Hagerstown, I was delighted to have a Coopers Hawk
swoop low over my head and begin to land on the neighbor's fence.  I guess
he thought better of it and flew off. I know it isn't uncommon for a Coopers
to be in this type of environment.  My question... has anyone in the
Hagerstown noted a Coopers hanging about?

My wife and I noted a Coopers in January last year that lingered in the area
for about a week (and fed on a Mourning Dove in our neighbor's yard).  Then
again this January, we saw a Coopers in the area for a couple of days. I've
not seen the Cooper in the neighborhood at any other time other than today
and in Januarys.

Paul Mackey
Hagerstown, MD