Cooper's Hawk Family Update

I shared a post on April 24th that announced a new generation of Cooper's Hawks. Click here to see that post.

I have some good news regarding one of the nest sites that I've followed since that time. I got my first look at chicks when I checked on the nest Thursday after work. I was shocked to suddenly see three fluffy white chicks standing nearly six inches beyond the top of the nest. I later realized there were actually four chicks. I had checked several times recently because I knew the timing for the eggs being laid and when they'd hatch. I knew chicks were growing inside the nest when the mother hawk stopped sitting in the nest and starting standing at the edge of the nest. The image below shows two of the four chicks.  You can see that the one on the right probably hatched before the one on the left since it has some juvenile feathers coming in on the chest, shoulders and wings.

The female hawk went from standing at the nest to sitting on the nest on April 23rd. I figured that was probably when she started incubating eggs. I calculated that chicks would start hatching around Memorial Day weekend since the incubation period is 30-36 days for Cooper's Hawk eggs. Chicks are usually in the nest for about 30-35 days after hatching so I estimated that the young birds might start to fledge around the end of June. It seems we are right on schedule.

I didn't visit the nest much during the incubation period, but I did check as I thought hatching may be taking place. I was hoping to see dad bring food to mom and babies, but I never saw that during my brief visits. I guess I didn't show up during feeding times. The next image is typical of what I saw as the chicks were newly hatched inside the nest. Mom would stand at a close guard.

At some point along the way the mother hawk gave up her space in the nest for the growing chicks. I was hopeful I'd see chicks peeking over the edge of the nest during several visits, but the mother continued to be the only visible hawk. I saw dad one day, but he didn't stick around long enough for a photo. Mom, on the other hand provided lots of convenient poses for my lens.

Thursday provided a new and exciting series of events. I stopped by the site after work. I parked my truck and began walking to the stand of trees that housed the nest. I got my first glance of the chicks and could not believe how tall they were standing in the nest. It was as if the nest went from empty to three large chicks overnight. Where were those big chicks hiding all this time?

I looked to my left and mom was in her usual spot, keeping watch over the nest from about 30 yards away. What a beautiful hawk! I couldn't help but wonder,however, "Where on earth was dad? When was he going to appear in his role of provider for these four hungry birds, mom and three hungry chicks?

After admiring mom for a while I turned my attention back to the chicks in the nest. That was until I heard mom start making a few quiet noises. I looked back at her and noticed she was looking to her left. She gave a couple of louder "kak" calls and then flew to where she was looking. That's when I noticed she flew to the male that was waiting in a spruce tree. The two sort of collided with each other a couple feet away from the spruce. Mom flew back toward me and dad moved farther away. I wanted to get an image of dad so I walked his way. I couldn't find him so I turned back toward mom. That's when I realized that dad had actually delivered some prey when the two birds collided near the spruce. Mom was now perched on a branch and plucking downy feathers from what turned out to be a baby bird (Cooper's Hawks primarily eat other birds). She was preparing the prey for delivery to one of her own chicks.

You can see a couple of the plucked downy feathers dropping down to the left of the image below. She would pluck and throw the feathers to one side or other with her beak.

I switched my camera to video mode and captured two short videos while hand-holding the lens fully zoomed to 400mm. It is really hard to hold the lens still and not have the image shake when capturing video. That's what tripods are for, but I didn't have one at the time. The videos actually turned out fairly well.

Here's some short video clips of mom plucking downy feathers from a chick of another bird species before she delivered the flesh to her own chick in the nest.

This short clip is right before mom flies with the prey to the nest.

One chick enjoyed the prey while mom and the other chicks sat contently on my side of the nest. I am fascinated by how mom and dad play their respective roles so well in caring for and raising their young ones. Mom and dad won't eat until after the chicks have eaten and dad will likely deliver a meal to mom before eating his own. Mom is not hunting right now because she is feeding the young and watching over the nest site. Dad will be a busy hawk until the young ones fledge and learn to catch their own prey.

Coming Soon: New Generation of Cooper's Hawks

I remember saying to myself, "I've gotta find one of those!" when I first learned that there was a hawk that shared my last name. It took months and the help of an experienced birder to see my first Cooper's Hawk. We found it eating a Starling in a large Cottonwood tree on a cold December morning. I walked up to the tree and took a picture with my weak little point and shoot camera. The hawk was so fixed on eating it didn't mind that I was standing right below it. The camera equipment I have today would have produced some prized images, but the little point and shoot I had that day captured just enough of an image to remind me of the experience. I believe that experience may have been a tipping point for my desire to photograph birds and other wildlife.

Once I saw that first Cooper's Hawk it was as if a Cooper's Hawk radar was installed because I began to notice them and their smaller relative, the Sharp-shinned Hawk, regularly from that time onward. I wanted to expand my experience with these hawks so I "hatched" a plan to look for possible Cooper's Hawk nest sites during the winter months while old nests were exposed in naked trees. I made note of several possible nest locations and then I began to check on those sites as spring rolled around.

One potential site that I checked on last week had three different nests that seemed fitting for a Cooper's Hawk. All three nests were in a small stand of trees just a few miles from my home. Just moments after eyeing the three nests and finding them empty I started scouring the limbs of the trees from mid-level downward. I felt like I hit the jackpot when I locked in on a female Cooper's about 20 feet above the ground. She seemed rather comfortable with my presence below her so I wondered if she was feeling at home, so to speak. That gave me hope that she was near her nesting site.

Female Cooper's Hawk Near Nest Site in Utah County, UT

Two days later (April 21st) I went back and found what I think was the same female perching upright in one of the three nests I had previously checked. Her upright position gave me the impression that she probably didn't have eggs in the nest. I suspected she was preparing to lay eggs at that point in time.

Female Cooper's Hawk Claiming a Nest in Utah County, UT

Female Cooper's Hawk Claiming a Nest in Utah County, UT

Two more days passed and I went back (April 23rd) to check on the nest again. A storm front with extremely strong winds had blown for several hours during the evening before. Lots of branches and debris were on the ground below and around the small stand of trees. It appeared that the nest was empty from my initial vantage point. A chunk of the twigs on the lower half of the nest appeared to have been displaced by the strong winds from the night before. I walked a complete circle around the perimeter of the tree and then noticed mama hawk's tail protruding from the west side of the nest. Her hunkered-down posture in the nest led me to believe she was officially on eggs.

Tail of Female Cooper's Hawk Incubating Eggs in Utah County, UT

Cooper's Hawk nests are actually built by the male of the pair. They will use nests from previous years and I suspect that they sometimes rotate among multiple nests from year to year. The male provides the food for the female and then the chicks for nearly three months from the time mama starts incubating eggs until the young birds leave the nest. He will capture mid- to small-sized birds and kill them by repeatedly squeezing them with his talons as he holds them away from his body. He generally will pin them to the ground, away from his head and chest, until they die. Other birds of prey often kill their prey with biting, but that is not the way of the Cooper's Hawk.  These hawks have one brood per year with 2-6 eggs. The periods for incubating and rearing the young take about 35 days each for a total of nearly 70 days from laying eggs to fledging.

I've been watching another Cooper's Hawk nest site that is a little more secluded and on private property owned by a friend. The images below include the female of that pair as well as a view of the nest before it became obscured by leaves. Nests are usually about 30 or more feet above ground in wooded areas.

Female Cooper's Hawk Near Nest Site in Utah County, UT

Female Cooper's Hawk Near Nest Site in Utah County, UT

Cooper's Hawk Nest in Utah County, UT

I am protective of the nest sites and roosts for certain species, especially owls and some falcons and hawks. I've had a few situations where I have shared these locations only to soon learn that the birds were disturbed to the point that they abandoned the site. If the nest is in a relatively safe location I'll share so others have the opportunity to witness unique glimpses into the lives of the birds. Otherwise, I'll keep them safe by not spreading the word. I hope to follow up on this post with multiple posts as these nest sites progress.

The Early Bird Gets The Nest: Great Horned Owls

Preface to this post: This is my first post with new camera equipment. My best gear, along with my wallet, and laptop were stolen two weeks ago today. In an instant I was a photographer and blogger without a single lens. It was quite the setback that left me with a real pit in my stomach. I did all I could to report and track my equipment and I prayed for a change of heart for the person who took my things as well as a change in my own heart to allow me to appreciate what I have rather than fret over what I lost. I was still a husband, a father, grandfather, and friend. I still had beautiful relationships and they matter most. Last week I discovered that I was fortunate to have a homeowners insurance policy that covered all my losses minus the deductible. I'm excited to be up and running again. I thank my friends and fellow photographers who provided some consolation and offers to use their equipment when they learned of my loss. God bless each of you to recognize His tender mercies in good times and bad.

Now the post: 
Great Horned Owls don't build their own nests, but they are early breeders so they have many established nests from which to choose. They begin courting and mating as early as January and February so they are able to take advantage of the nests built by hawks, ravens, and herons. They may also take advantage of squirrel nests, structures, and large cavities suitable to their needs. I can only imagine that hawks and other birds are a bit put out when they return in spring to find someone squatting on their property.

I made mental notes of all the large nests I observed in barren deciduous trees during the recent winter months. I was looking for possible Cooper's Hawk and Great Horned Owl nests. These nests are easily observed when the deciduous trees are barren of leaves. I make note of possible Cooper's Hawk nests so I can check on them after leaves are on the trees and the Cooper's Hawks are breeding. When I look at possible Great Horned Owl nests I pay particular attention to whether or not the large ear tufts of the Great Horned Owls are sticking up from the top of the nest.

I was delighted Sunday morning when I double checked what I thought would be a likely Hawk nest in a very tall Sycamore tree and discovered a female Great Horned Owl perched right next to it. I immediately focused on the nest and saw the round fuzzy heads of her chicks. They appeared to be about five or six weeks old--maybe a week or two away from "branching" out of the nest and onto nearby branches where they will continue to be fed and weaned by the parents for a couple of weeks. I could not believe I had missed discovering this active nest earlier since it was just minutes from my home.

Female Great Horned Owl and Chick at Nest Site in American Fork, UT

Below is my initial view as I drove toward the tree and noticed the adult owl perched to the right of the nest. The blob at the top left is an active Black-billed Magpie nest. Like most Magpie nests it has a dome on the top. The owl nest is about 40 feet above the road that passes below. My wife often asks with amazement, "How the heck did you see that?" I guess when you start paying attention and seeking certain things you will find them. Most people aren't looking into trees ahead while they are driving either. A close look will show the back light shining through the fine downy feathers on the heads of the chicks in the nest.

Sycamore Tree Containing Magpie Nest (upper left) and Great Horned Owl Nest (upper right) American Fork, UT
Female Owl to Right of Nest, Three Chicks in Nest

I have not seen the male yet, but I suspect he is roosting in a nearby evergreen during the daylight hours. I noticed that "mama" has more color than I've seen on most Great Horned Owls here in Utah. This seems to match the coloring of Pacific Great Horned Owls.

Female Great Horned Owl American Fork, UT

Female Great Horned Owl American Fork, UT

When I first stopped to observe the chicks it appeared there were only two. I saw two from the east view and two from the west view. However, as I looked up and walked from one side to the other I noticed there were actually three chicks.

Great Horned Owl Chicks in Nest in American Fork, UT

These three growing chicks were quite curious about what I as doing as I passed below them. I love their focused yellow eyes looking down from nearly forty feet above.

Great Horned Owl Chicks in Nest in American Fork, UT

A sure sign of an owl roost or, in this case, a nest is lots of waste. Chicks aim away from the nest when they defecate. The large gray item in the bottom, right-hand corner is a Eurasian Collared-Dove wing. I don't know if one of the parent owls took it from an evening roost or if one of the local Cooper's Hawks made a meal of it. I've nicknamed this very short strip of road "Death Row" because there seems to be at least one or two massacred doves along the road each time I pass through.

The Evidence of a Great Horned Owl Nest in the Tree Above

I saw this Cooper's Hawk in the same area last week right after it took out a Collared-Dove and began to eat it while perched on a branch in a shady group of trees. The look on her face seems to say, "I'm eating here. Do you mind?"

Female Cooper's Hawk With Dove in American Fork, UT

I'll leave the harsh reality of life for the birds of prey and finish with a few more settling images of the Great Horned Owls temporarily inhabiting the Sycamore Tree. The round seed pods of this tree almost seem like decorations.

Great Horned Owl on Nest in Sycamore Tree in American Fork, UT

Great Horned Owl Chick on Nest (Sycamore Tree) in American Fork, UT

Great Horned Owl Chick in Nest (Sycamore Tree) in American Fork, UT

Great Horned Owl Adult and Chick at Nest in Sycamore Tree in American Fork, UT

Errand Birding: More Productive Than Simply Birding?

By "Errand Birding" I mean watching for birds while running errands. Sometimes, and I say this with a smile, it becomes unclear which one has priority.

So I knew this morning it was going to be a day for personal errands and helping others. I passed on doing a local Audubon Christmas Bird Count because I had other responsibilities. I was prepared to not have my usual Saturday morning bird experiences, but I did load my camera into my truck before beginning my errands. On my way to the local Costco in Lehi, Utah I drove a few blocks out of the way to see if one of the Harlan's Hawks I had previously located was still present. It was present and flew over head.

Dark-morph Harlan's Hawk Lehi, UT

Dark-morph Harlan's Hawk Lehi, UT

Just as I arrived at Costco I heard the call of an American Crow. Seconds later I saw the bird flying and then landing. American Crows are not very common in Utah County. Most of the time a "large black bird" in Utah County turns out to be a Raven. Crows are more common in Salt Lake and other Counties north of Utah County. Some of us bird nuts in Utah County are curious about why we don't see more crows and where they may actually nest in the county. I spoke to a lady who lives where I saw the crows today and she said, "they are always here." I'll have to keep an eye out to see if they nest in the spring.

American Crow in Lehi, UT

American Crow in Lehi, UT

I had to take my truck in for some routine maintenance and it took longer than I expected. When I called to update my wife she informed me she wouldn't be home for a while either. Once my truck was finished I decided to make a quick look for a Harris's Sparrow that had been reported recently by a good birding friend of mine. I didn't expect much since no one had reported seeing it recently, but I tried. It turned out to be almost the first bird I saw when I arrived at the reported location.

Harris's Sparrow Provo, UT

So far each of the four or so Harris's Sparrows I've located or observed was hanging out with White-crowned Sparrows that show up en masse in our valleys during the winter months. The juvenile White-crowned Sparrow below was among the group that included the Harris's Sparrow this afternoon. This one was on the ground next to my truck.

White-crowned Sparrow in Provo, UT

A curious Spotted Towhee made a short appearance in the same tree as the Harris's Sparrow. Those blood red eyes and black hood seem menacing. The rufous sides with white belly are striking. What a combination of colors for this secretive bird.

Spotted Towhee in Provo, UT

I also noticed something I had never seen before, but it made sense when I saw it. Ring-necked pheasants were climbing into trees and eating the fruit of Russian Olive and other trees in the area. I couldn't get a good view of the colorful male pheasant, but I did manage a distant shot of a plain looking hen pheasant. I'm used to seeing these birds moving low to the ground, not climbing into trees.

Ring-necked Pheasant Eating Berries in a Tree in Provo, UT

I decided to head home to get dinner ready and was making a call to a friend when a slender looking hawk atop a power pole caught my attention. I asked my friend to hold for a moment and then let him know I'd call him back. I'm sure he understood because he too is an "errand birder". The hawk turned out to be a Cooper's Hawk as I got closer. I managed a couple of shots before it flew down toward a gardening center. The hawk landed on the top of a net-covered chicken coop. It was back lit at that point. I'm surprised at how different the same bird can look depending on it's posture, lighting, etc. The angle of the first image gives it a stocky look and the final images present a very slender look.

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk in Vineyard, UT

The hawk was back lit for the final images. I was able to increase the exposure compensation on the spot to keep most of the detail from being shadowed by the back lighting.

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk Above a Chicken Coop in Vineyard, UT

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk Above a Chicken Coop in Vineyard, UT

The hawk suddenly noticed something below and dropped down and out of sight. I wonder if it found it's afternoon meal?

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk  Preparing to Give Chase to its Prey From Above a Chicken Coop in Vineyard, UT

Cooper's Hawks to Kinglets Along Squaw Peak Road

I enjoyed a 24-mile (round-trip) drive along Squaw Peak Road Saturday morning. I coincidentally met up with my outdoor friend Eric Huish as he was standing on a knoll near the beginning of Squaw Peak Road. He was there just before sunrise hoping to see Black Swifts flying in or out of Provo Canyon. He was not successful in that endeavor so he decided to jump into my truck to join me on a rough mountain ride in search of birds and other wildlife about 6000 feet above the city of Provo, Utah.

We started our drive in the foothills just above the mouth of Provo Canyon and made our turn back about twelve slow miles later after enjoying a distant view of Provo Bay on the east side of Utah Lake. We had Provo Peak behind us, Buckley Mountain to south (left in the image) and Y Mountain slightly to the northwest of us when I captured this image.

View Toward Provo Bay From Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

Eric was hoping to see migrant Townsend's and Nashville Warblers during our drive. I was hoping to see some raptors after having watched hummingbirds at my yard feeders for several weeks. We both had our fingers crossed and eyes peeled for elusive Northern Goshawks. We both experienced some success with our hopes and a few pleasant surprises during our mountain drive.

Our strategy for the slow drive along the rocky dirt road was to stop whenever we heard or saw small flocks of birds moving along the road or in bordering tree lines and meadows. One of our first stops allowed us to hear and observe the slight differences between Downy and Hairy Woodpecker calls. We heard their calls before we saw either of them. I enjoyed following a female Hairy Woodpecker as she pecked and foraged along the trunks and main branches of several trees. I captured three images as she was uncovering and "downing" a larva of some sort.

Female Hairy Woodpecker Chipping Away Bark in Search of Food Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

Female Hairy Woodpecker Extracting Food From Beneath Bark Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

Female Hairy Woodpecker With Extracted Larva Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

We soon found one of our target warblers, a male Wilson's Warbler, during a short walk around an area of dense vegetation.

Migrant Wilson's Warbler Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

As we were observing birds in the area of the Wilson's Warbler a truck with a man and his wife stopped to tell us they were sure bears were moving through the woods just ahead of us. They had been camping the night before and decided to move from the tent into the truck for the night. They had heard what they thought were bears again in the morning and decided to leave the area. Eric and I drove to see if we could observe large mammals in the area. We heard them, but we were unable to get a visual. The trees and vegetation were too thick in the direction of the sounds. After ending a brief search for the mystery animal I captured images of one of dozens of Red-breasted Nuthatches heard and seen along the road.

One of Dozens of Red-breasted Nuthatches Among Fir Trees Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

The first of our surprise experiences for the day came when we heard the calls of Golden-crowned Kinglets. We exited the truck and were able to see about six of these uniquely marked little birds. These kinglets are typically found in mountain conifers. They are about 4 inches long and seem to be somewhat nomadic as they forage in small groups.

The Golden Crown of a Golden-crowned Kinglet Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

This image shows a bit of the reddish feathers often hidden below the golden crown. I noticed one bird flaring his crown so it almost looked orange with the mix of yellow and red.

Golden-crowned Kinglet Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

The next surprise of the day and a highlight for me was when we were about to leave an area and I suggested we spend just a few more minutes. I heard a raptor scream and wasn't sure if it was an accipiter (a group of long-tailed hawks) or a more common Red-tailed Hawk. Moments later Eric and I were both scratching our heads when it seemed we were hearing several screams coming from a mixed stand of Aspens and Conifers. We were hopeful that we were hearing juvenile Northern Goshawk's giving their begging calls, but after it appeared we were hearing the calls coming from three separate birds I began to wonder if Steller's Jay's were imitating hawks. Both of us had experienced that while birding in the mountains before. A moment later the screams moved closer to the edge of the tree line. In a flash a juvenile Cooper's Hawk flew out of the woods and slightly up the hill from us. It moved to a tree just down the road from us and gave me the opportunity to capture this silhouette of one my my favorite hawks.

Silhouette of Juvenile Cooper's Hawk Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

I used exposure compensation on the spot and then Picasa when I returned home to reveal a colored version of the same image as above.

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

The surprises continued when the second and third juvenile Cooper's Hawks came out of obscurity and into the meadow around us and the sky above us.  We suspect that these three juveniles were siblings and were giving their begging calls to locate one another among the woods. Perhaps there were adults in the area that the juveniles were calling.

The auto focus feature of my Nikon D7100 is a two-edged sword at times like this. It works very well ,but sometimes the frame is so busy the camera locks focus on the larger objects in the background rather than a small moving target in the foreground. These images have been cropped so the bird looks much larger than when I was trying to lock my center focus area on the flying hawk. The first images shows how the focus locked onto the trees in the background rather than the bird. However, I continued to track the bird as it flew to areas with less busy backgrounds. Once I locked onto the bird in flight I was able to maintain it despite trees and mountains reappearing in the background.

I usually don't share poor images, but I like the experience of following this bird out of the trees and into the sky where the target for the focus became more obvious. It shows the reality of digital photography, both good and bad.  I also like capturing the bird mid-scream in a couple of images.

Out of Focus Juvenile Cooper's Hawk Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk Just Before Auto Focus Kicks In Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk Preparing to Scream Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

Screaming Juvenile Cooper's Hawk Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

Screaming Juvenile Cooper's Hawk Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

Screaming Juvenile Cooper's Hawk Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

This is an image of the third juvenile Cooper's Hawk found along Squaw Peak Road.

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

After all the excitement with three active Cooper's Hawks we were still enjoyed discovering one more of our target birds for the day, a Townsend's Warbler. It's common to see these Warblers in our mountains as they migrate south for the winter.

Townsend's Solitaire Along Squaw Peak Road in Utah County, UT

I love living in Utah. The mountains, canyons, lakes, rivers, deserts, and the creatures that call them home provide a great deal of variety close to home. Spring is beautiful and full of new life among plants, people, and animals. Summer brings long days and more time to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. Fall brings new color to the mountains outside our windows. Winter brings snow cover to the mountains and a new group of raptors that are much easier to spot and photograph than tiny birds among dense foliage.