What did you do today?

[Charlie Horse]

How can you even tell the difference between a sharp-shinned and a cooper's hawk? Other than size.

I had a very active bird feeder going until a cooper's hawk came around. One day it dove over the house (2 stories) and caught a black headed finch, but not quite. The finch escaped and dove down behind a trampoline. I wasn't really to pleased with the cooper ruining my bird feeder fun and I went over and picked up the bird. It died in my hands a minute later. The hawk was out there watching me with hateful eyes. I tossed the bird's body out in the snow and sure enough the hawk came and got it. I think there was a lot more going on in that bird's head than in most animals. He understood the situation. In the end I weened the finches off my feeder because it was making it way too easy for the raptors (Kestrels have nested in a missing soffet panel for 20 years at the house).

I'm considering the falconing hobby. I currently have two parrots sitting on me while I type. I don't think they'd be friends. But you would not believe the amazing view and giant fields across the street from my new house. Perfect for falcons!

Here's a pic of me and some kind of eagle in Mongolia about 12 years back. That was not a happy bird, I don't think. He's like the horses that work on beaches for tourists hehe. Very authentic though! His breath smelled like rotten meat-- Who knows what he was eating.