[Birdtalk] more backyard birding

[Linda Butler]

More interesting goings on in my backyard. This afternoon I watched a hawk--I think it was a Cooper's Hawk--in my ash tree. It was being harassed by two magpies. I grabbed my binoculars as it appeared that the hawk was eating something--a bird. I'm guessing it was a quail because the body looked chunky and the legs were large--much largher than a sparrow's, though it might have been a dove. The prey was partially eaten, which made it difficult to even guess, let alone positively ID. The way the magpies were acting, I thought it might have taken a baby magpie. But I suspect it's too early for babies to have hatched, let alone be half grown (by it's size, this would have had to have been at least a half-grown chick)
I'm using Kenn  Kaufman's book for ID. The hawk was pretty much the same size as the magpie. Tail was fairly long for a hawk. The head and back coloring was consistent with the book, and the breast was a solid reddish/rust color. Are only the juveniles striped and the adults solidly colored on the breast? It was helpful to have the magpie close by to better estimate the size. I have a hard time estimating size when the bird is by itself and far away.
It was definitely enjoying its dinner in our tree for about 5 minutes, then suddenly flew off, the magpies in noisy pursuit.
Linda
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