Our juvenile Cooper's Hawks are doing quite well. They fly easily from tree to nearby tree now. This one even perched on our swing for a while, giving me an outstanding photo op! Look at his eye. The mature Cooper's Hawk has a red eye. An immature that is perhaps a year or two old has a yellow eye. And this fledgling has grey eyes.
Their mother taught them that cleanliness is important if you want to fly, so preening is their primary activity when perched in a tree.
Those rotten Blue Jays follow them all day. Even though they don't hunt yet, you always know they are around because of the ruckus the Jays make. Just because Jays have blue feathers, they think they are the Hawk Police!
What are you doing down there?
Does Mom have some lunch ready for us?
1,2,3... Ready or not, here I come!
This time I'm really going to fly off this branch...
Ah, the shade feels wonderful. I need to practice my stalking.
