After Dinner Drink?

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On a recent evening my back garden was honored with a visit from this immature Cooper’s Hawk, Astur cooperii, who spent time at one of my bird baths. The bird sat and surveyed its surroundings,

…took thirsty dives into the water,

…and with beak pointed to the sky, gulped, gulped, gulped, enjoying a cool water drink at the end of a day.

At first, I assumed he’d landed looking for dinner, but the squirrels were somewhat active (not directly under the hawk’s beak, but nearby) and birds were around, though giving this formidable predator its space. Cooper’s Hawks typically hunt birds, but I’ve witnessed one catch a squirrel. A successful predator will hunt whatever is available and catch-able.

I wouldn’t want to be on the catching end if these things–would you?

Given the hawk’s lack of interest in a meal and its focus on the water bowl, I wondered if this one had dined earlier, in some other venue, and was in my garden for its after dinner drink.

The hawk sat, sipped, looked around and eventually hopped to the opposite side of the water bowl. This young Cooper’s has a regal form: bright, intelligent eyes, glorious plumage, and a dignified figure.

My favorite photo of this half hour of hawk watching is this one.

The hawk has a I meant to do that! look on its face. Maybe it took a page out of the White-winged Dove book and pooped in the water? Or perhaps it belched a bit and was embarrassed? Do hawks belch? Do hawks get embarrassed?

Shortly afterwards, my hawk buddy winged to the overhead utility wires behind my property and then onward to its perch for the night.

I love to spy on the flitty birds in my garden, both migratory and resident. They’re quick, agile, easily hidden in the foliage and a triumph when I get a good look and photograph. That said, it’s rewarding and so much easier to watch and appreciate a bigger bird. It’s truly a gift when one lands and spends time resting in the garden.

11 thoughts on “After Dinner Drink?”

  3. He is a handsome one. You’re right about the pleasure of having a larger bird to photograph. Even though they’re often active or in flight, when they decide to pause for a bit, they’re often ‘photogenically still’ for some time. You certainly made good use of your time with this one.

    Whether birds get embarassed, I can’t say, but I know that squirrels and dogs can experience something akin to what we know as embarassment. And birds will grieve, so embarassment’s a possibility. I witnessed parent grackles grieving over the loss of a nest and a youngster several years ago; there was no doubt that they felt their loss sharply. It’s been nearly a decade now; maybe I’ll haul out the poem I wrote at the time and repost it.

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    • I think you’re right about birds, at least some of them, grieve at the loss of their young ones. I think just the ruckus that they make to protect their young demonstrates their care.

      I watched that hawk for a good 30 minutes, maybe more. I’ve never had one just hang out for a while, it was quite a treat.

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    • Same here. I have seen one sitting at the edge of my pond a few years ago, but never at the bird baths. I’m glad I keep in plenty of water–it’s very dry here.

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