I should know by now that it never pays to make assumptions, certainly not when it comes to the vast and variable natural world. Usually I'm assuming I know what some common plant is, only to realise it is something else, or the species has been renamed-- or I was just remembering the name incorrectly! Birds are not my specialty, so I am usually not as quick to jump to conclusions, but it seems I can still be caught.
This spring was a good one for woodpeckers on the acreage. While there are several species around, they are often wary not allowing close approach; this spring there were Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus varius) hanging around, and the even warier Pileated Woodpeckers (Hylatomus pileatus) were frequently seen, closer than usual. In fact, it seemed they were nesting in a wooded area right behind the house-- they'd been working on a number of trees back there, and there were large holes in several poplars, they were frequently seen and heard back there.
As the season progressed I heard the noises of small birds in the nest, and typical laughing woodpecker sounds. I didn't go back there enough to really see where the nest was, since I didn't want to stress the birds.
Fast forward a couple of months, and the baby bird noises have grown louder, my friend calls it a monster bird sound. I assure him that is the baby woodpeckers. One day my friend says he sees the bird making the monster sound, sitting on a poplar not far from a window.. I go and look and it is clearly a smallish hawk, not a woodpecker. Odd, I say, haven't seen hawks in among the trees here.
Fast forward a few more weeks, and we can hear something on the back of the metal roof, doesn't seem to be running along like a squirrel. My friend goes out to chase off whatever it is, and two good sized birds fly off. Next time the sound happens (clunk clunk on the roof) I go out to take a look, and see what seems to be a young hawk. This matches the calls we've been hearing more and more-- not just generic baby bird sounds, but with hindsight, weak, immature hawk cries! I later go out into the edge of the woods, wary still of disturbing the birds, and also having my head pecked by an anxious mother, too see if I can get some photos..
I manage shots of a couple of birds, at least one of which is clearly juvenile ( in fact, it seems all the shots are likely of juveniles), and the next day my friend sees through the window that one of the birds is on the rock garden. We don't get that shot, but catch a few more of the bird/s in the trees.
Photos on screen, I do a little searching and it seems most likely that our birds are Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii). Medium-smallish hawks, long banded tail is slightly rounded, and with a terminal white band; Brown uppers suggest juveniles. Listening to the various calls, they fit, including calls from the adults not super far off from large woodpecker cries... The Pileateds were certainly around in the spring, but quite certainly never did nest right here, and the hawks must have a platform nest, unrelated to the large tree holes I saw..
So there you are, months of *knowing* there were woodpeckers nesting behind the house, out the window.... Interestingly, I have never seen these hawks hunting small birds, their presumed primary diet, and of which there are many on the acreage.
 |
| Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii), I believe; August 2017 |
 |
| Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii), I believe; August 2017 |
 |
| Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii), I believe; August 2017 |
 |
| Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii), I believe; August 2017 |
 |
| Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii), I believe; August 2017 |
 |
| Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii), I believe; August 2017 |
Comments
Post a Comment