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Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: Lookout ()
Date: April 09, 2011 03:46PM

I saw a Coopers Hawk on my back fence about a month ago but it flew
away before I could get a camera ready. Then, about two weeks ago my
neighbor saw one perched in a tree behind his house. He did get some
pics but I don't know how to post them. Has anyone else seen one of
these lately? It's unusual to see them in Fairfax but I have seen them
south of Marshall. They're rather large compared to the red tail variety.

http://birdsisaw.com/bis/Photographs/Coopers_Hawk_89251.jpg

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Re: Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: raptors ()
Date: April 11, 2011 08:23AM

Ive had one several times in my Centreville yard for the past 2 years. Hes helping keep down the chipmunk population.

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Re: Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: Lookout ()
Date: April 11, 2011 08:37AM

Thanks raptor. I'm in Fairfax City. Anybody else see a Coopers Hawk?

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Re: Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: Ive Seen A Few ()
Date: April 11, 2011 08:57AM

Ive seen a few around Fairfax. I live in Fairfax City as well and saw one that had treed a sqirrel in our front yard and was just waiting for it to run. The squirrel didn't move so after ten minutes so the hawk flew to a nearby tree across the street and lost interest. This was a few years ago but I still see them once in a while "patrolling" the neighborhood, sitting on the electrical lines. They don't have many enemies around here so they don't ahve much competition for certain foods, the rabbits, mice, squirrels and chipmunks can keep them fed well.

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Re: Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: Les ()
Date: April 11, 2011 09:13AM

I saw one yesterday. They've been prowling around our feeders for at least 10 years. The crows hate them and will gang up on them. I saw one attack a black starling, and the rest of the birds, including crows and bluejays, were chasing him to try to free the starling. I see them scouring the birds nests for eggs which drives the crows crazy.

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Re: Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: HawkEye ()
Date: April 11, 2011 10:17AM

Seem them all the time around my cul-de-sac. We have a lot of big, old trees and woods.

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Re: Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: Lookout ()
Date: April 11, 2011 10:29AM

Les Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I saw one yesterday. They've been prowling around
> our feeders for at least 10 years. The crows hate
> them and will gang up on them. I saw one attack a
> black starling, and the rest of the birds,
> including crows and bluejays, were chasing him to
> try to free the starling. I see them scouring the
> birds nests for eggs which drives the crows crazy.

Hope the eat goose eggs too.:)

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Re: Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: Imagine ()
Date: April 11, 2011 02:49PM

Yes, I've seen the Coopers, too. In Vienna.

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Re: Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: big bird ()
Date: April 11, 2011 06:19PM

I saw one for the first time last summer. I live near the Springfield Country Club. It was on top of my car when I went out to get into the car. Just sat there. I thought it would fly away so I could get in my car. My son threw a stick and it just sat there. Finally it flew away. It was very impressive---much bigger than any of the other birds around here. I was surprised to see a hawk so low to the ground.

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Re: Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: Tatjana ()
Date: March 02, 2012 12:26PM

I just saw one at zip code 22312 in my backyard (West Alexandria, near Annandale - FX County) and took pictures, but they're not the best. Beautiful bird. I read that they like to check out feeders and often visit backyards.

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Re: Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: In my Fox Mill yard ()
Date: March 02, 2012 12:56PM

I first saw one on a tree limb patrolling my back yard about six years ago.

Either that hawk or a different one has returned on and off ever since. The last time I saw him was last fall as I was heading out to my back deck to grill and he was on the ground below the tree looking like he was getting his talons fixed in on something. I quietly motioned to my family and in-laws who were visiting to come out on the back deck to check it out and we saw him eventually fly away with a chipmunk in his talons. I'll try to remember to keep my camera ready for his eventual return.

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Re: Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: EyesUp ()
Date: March 02, 2012 01:10PM

Tatjana Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just saw one at zip code 22312 in my backyard
> (West Alexandria, near Annandale - FX County) and
> took pictures, but they're not the best. Beautiful
> bird. I read that they like to check out feeders
> and often visit backyards.

Sounds like it may have been the same one that visited our backyard recently (Sunday Feb 26) in Annandale.

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Re: Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: Olde Farte ()
Date: March 02, 2012 01:51PM

We have one tree in our dinky side yard that it/they seem to like landing in no more than about 6-8ft off the ground. Been here numerous times. Don't seem to land in the other trees we have (maybe a tall river birch in the backyard, but I've never seen one in it).

========

We had an amazing chipmunk population explosion a few years ago - they were everywhere.

Then The Predators made their presence known.

I haven't seen a chipmunk since.

[one neighbor's white cat was an excellent hunter- I saw that cat nail probably a half dozen chipmunks all be herself and that was without even TRYING to see her hunt - just glancing out the window and seeing it. This year we have at least a couple feral cats walking around - one is a monster-sized black one that has been around at least a couple years - very strong and healthy looking but definitely not domesticated]

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Re: Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: seen three ()
Date: March 02, 2012 03:58PM

i have three distinct species of hawk living behind me, and it took me a long time to figure out what they were, as i only got glimpses of them. obviously a red tailed, which i sometimes see perched in a tree, but more often than not it's soaring overhead.

a coopers as well, and the third i believe to be a sharp shinned, based on the times that i've seen it and trying to match it up in my nerdy berdy books. it's really something to see those non-red tailed hawks dive bomb birds right out of tree branches. twice i've seen a pummelling....a mourning dove and a robin. bang! chirp! then a cloud of feathers....

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Re: Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: Yes, many Coopers Hawks in Ffx ()
Date: March 02, 2012 04:53PM

Many hunt right around Shirley Gate, Braddock Rd. Red Tailed Hawks are "the big ones", then Red shoulder hawks (still big, but smaller than Red tailed). The Coopers Hawks are about 16"-20" tall (-I'm no expert). They are present all over VA, in Fairfax they have quite a menu. Loves them some starlings, chipmunks, dum-or-young squirrels (most are). They eat Garder-snakes too!

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Re: Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: hawkeye ()
Date: March 02, 2012 05:28PM

Yes, many Coopers Hawks in Ffx Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Many hunt right around Shirley Gate, Braddock Rd.
> Red Tailed Hawks are "the big ones", then Red
> shoulder hawks (still big, but smaller than Red
> tailed). The Coopers Hawks are about 16"-20" tall
> (-I'm no expert). They are present all over VA,
> in Fairfax they have quite a menu. Loves them some
> starlings, chipmunks, dum-or-young squirrels (most
> are). They eat Garder-snakes too!

Right after people started seeing them in Fairfax City so often last
fall lots of young kittens went missing. Meow! Me likes Coopers Hawks

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Re: Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: tea leaves ()
Date: March 02, 2012 05:31PM

There are a lot of these in the area, and I'm thankful for them. Doing what nature should do, balancing it out. Goodbye vermin, hello and welcome Coopers hawks

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Re: Coopers Hawks in Fairfax?
Posted by: Hawkeye ()
Date: March 02, 2012 06:04PM

They are around. Mostly red tails though in my experience.

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