A pair of COOPER'S HAWKS are building their nest in our next-door neighbor's

yard in Darnestown.  wonderful to watch, but putting a damper on the
bluebirds, and I dont think I will try to revive our Purple Martin colony
this
year!. Also explains the Sharp-shinned Hawk feathers I found strewn in a
circle a couple of weeks ago. The male is doing all the gathering of sticks,

with much flapping of wings, he breaks off long branches sycamore and maple
branches and carries them to the nest in a white pine, while the female
perches nearby and keeps up stream of architectural and design advice via
constant mewing sounds.  The birds are unafraid of us and are constantly
flying back and forth across the yard.  quite a sight.
Good birding -
Don Simonson
Darnestown, Montgomery County