Cooper's Hawk - Western Birds



A Cooper's Hawk sitting on a lamp post, Newport Beach, CA; 6/13/2011.

As I was walking down the road just outside of the Crystal Cove State Park boundaries, a Cooper's Hawk (Above) eyed me from its perch on a lamp post. I saw it from quite a distance away, but wasn't sure what kind of raptor it was until I came closer. I took lots of photos as I approached it, and expected him to fly off. But it let me not only get close to its perch, but also pass under him and take more pictures from the other side. Cooper's Hawks can be found on both sides of the country from the Midwest to the Atlantic Coast and from the Rockies to the Pacific Coast. In summer months, they'll stretch their range across all of the states along the the U.S. northern border and into Canada. About the only place you won't find them in summer is a small section in the central south - Nebraska, Oklahoma and central Texas.

Cooper's Hawks have a beautiful red and white speckled breast and belly, with grayish back, wings, and crown. The gray on its head fades to lighter on its cheeks and is set off with very clear red eyes.

Sunset of the Day

From the same perch (as yesterday's Sunset pic) on Watchman's Peak, we could see storm clouds rolling in from the west, opposite of Crater Lake, but the clouds did not obscure the setting sun, Crater Lake National Park, OR; 7/10/2007