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Ostrich I enjoyed the video series that you shot from the ground .... loved the snatch and grab action it was awesome

I had an interesting sighting today - normally by this time of year and through the winter until spring I only have occasional random sightings of the adults around the park, and I'd seen one or the other a handful of times in the last few weeks. This morning I happened to catch the female fly into the park and she was making kek-kek-kek calls which usually means she sees or is reacting to the male somewhere nearby. It's also a call I don't usually hear outside of the nesting season - but a few minutes later the male showed up and flew to another tree at the other end of the park and made some kik calls. That's normally his call for telling her he's got food for her, and indeed she flew over to his perch and I'm pretty sure got some food. Shortly thereafter they both landed in an adjacent tree and were standing in a new nest structure there.

So it looks like at some point they started working on a nest in another tree on the opposite side of the park - it's easy to see now that all the leaves are off the tree, so I don't know how long they might have been working on it.

I saw both adults in the park again this morning - this is a real treat for this time of year!

Boy I can't imagine being a critter having to put up with 6 young Coopers - they like to chase anything they can, even on foot on the ground sometimes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Acis5nO0dnw

Ian, I hope this is where you wanted me to post the picture I took yesterday of a Coopers Hawk in my backyard.
Click 2 x

Yes that's a wonderful bird! I'm amazed how deep the rusty color is on this one - that's the darkest Coopers I've ever seen. I saw mine in the park again yesterday.

Thx Ian. I could not see a band so perhaps this one was hatched since our local bander retired. It could also have been hidden behind the branch. I will watch for it. It will likely come back. It is a beautiful colour isn't it. I will check my other picture of the local clan for colouration.

I saw one of my locals in the "new" tree again the other day - I think I may keep track of sightings over the winter - I've never done that systematically before. If they do switch to the new tree next spring I think there are going to be some squirrels in the adjacent trees that won't be too happy with the new neighbours lol.

Nov 30 - one adult.
Dec 6 - one adult.
Dec 12 - one adult
Dec 14 - one adult in roost tree, 11am 3C
Dec 20 - two adults in roost tree, 3pm, 1C, sunny
Dec 21 - one adult in roost tree, 10:30am, 1C, sunny.
one adult hunting in parking lot, 3pm
Dec 23 - one adult in roost tree, 2:00pm, 4C, drizzle
Dec 31 - one adult hunting in parking lot, 5pm, -5C clear
Jan 17 - one adult in roost tree, 1:05pm, -5C cloudy