Winter Hunt

 

I didn’t see the Cooper’s Hawk at first. Its plumage dissolved into the withered leaves, as if it had grown from the ground itself.

Only when I stepped closer did the shape resolve — the curved beak, the steady eye — and I understood I was looking at a Cooper’s Hawk. Beneath the raptor lay its prey, which I initially mistook for a small bird.

Much later, studying the details, I realized I had been wrong. The hawk had taken not a bird, but an American red squirrel.

Even after the initial strike, a  hawk remained over its catch to ensure there’s no movement left.  With mammals like a squirrel, that can take a little time.

Hawks are vulnerable on the ground. Other predators — crows, ravens, even other raptors — might try to steal the catch. Staying on top of it protects the food.

So what I witnessed wasn’t hesitation — it was calculation.
On the ground, hawks are powerful but exposed. Sitting still is sometimes the safest choice.

Generally, life is good.