Saw a bobcat and a Cooper's Hawk yesterday

I don't take anything for granted on what I might see even though we live next to the woods and close to a major river.  I've seen Bald Eagles return and I always stop to watch.  I was outside yesterday and heard a Red-tailed Hawk overhead.  Alway special.

I was off work yesterday and driving home mid-morning and saw bobcat run across the road in front of me.  But not running fast...just getting to the other side and at one point kind of paused to look around.  This was near the intersection of Beaver Ave and Lower Beaver Rd.  This was the second time I've seen one with my own eyes but the first time in daylight and so close.  I'm also excited because that means they are in the neighborhood!

At the end of my evening walk with Kyanne, I saw a Cooper' Hawk swoop up to a light pole.  I watched it for a minute and then it swooped to another light pole.  I thought to myself maybe hunting hasn't gone so well that day and trying to shake something loose.  As I was opening the garage door I saw it again and the flight pattern reminded me of a Barn Swallow...it was clearly trying to create some movement with potential prey.

Not a bad day in the neighborhood.

The one that got away

I was looking out our back window last evening and saw a flash and realized it was a Red-tailed Hawk.  I grabbed my camera to see what was going on and realized it was after this fox squirrel.

It flew to different trees several times coming back to this one.  The squirrel managed to survive and I saw the hawk fly off in search of something it could catch.

I thought to myself the outcome may have been different if it were a Cooper's Hawk.  They are much more nimble in the woods and brush.

I find it interesting that these two hawks species hunt the same area.  When I was taking Ky for her walk later, I saw the hawk flying trying to get a meal before the sun went down.

Hawk "Eye"

I'm that guy that carries his camera with him while driving around and pulls over if he sees something. Today it was this Red-tailed Hawk.  It was facing away from the street in a church parking lot.  It was late in the day so I wanted to get the sun on it for a better picture and of course that was not the way it was facing.  So I leaned out of my car and started whistling and saying "hey"...and this is the look I got...

Final update on Red-shouldered Hawk