10-6-19 Fergie, my 12-lb rescue dog, waiting for me to finish my pull ups in Paradise Meadows Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Two weeks ago I was tying Fergie's leash to the pole to keep her safe while I did pull ups, when two huge shadows came from behind and loomed over us.
I was still feeling traumatized from last month when one of the juvenile male Cooper's hawks (apparently, the one that lives at the east end of the desert valley and had never met Fergie) came silently from behind and tried to snatch her.
But his sibling appeared from nowhere and dove straight into him, knocking him aside, then fighting him until he left.
The shadows triggered fear for Fergie's safety, and I looked up just as the two male juvenile Cooper's hawk siblings flashed past, 10 feet away, overlapping like F-14s in attack formation.
Then in a surreal moment, the Cooper's hawk brothers cut sharply around the playground ladder and shot under and straight through the playground equipment, still in formation, and only seven feet from us.
Apparently the hawks were only greeting me, play courting with each other, and having playful fun without Fergie being on the menu. I guess the hawk sibling who attacked my dog last month had already learned "his lesson about messin'" with the dog of his brother's friend.
With 2.75 foot wingspans, the Cooper's hawks had to do their famous wing contortions to squeeze between the bars..impressive for mere juveniles, and in formation at that.
They passed through the playground complex poles, shot straight up into the sky, and began sparring and play courting high overhead - diving at each other and doing rolls..
Like they do to me in their routine greetings..
which can be a bit alarming because I never see them coming.
The adult male did that today - coming low and silent from behind and skimming/hovering just above my head; I knew he was there, by his huge shadow.
But I also saw the much larger female Cooper's hawk flying across the valley ahead.
She seemed so huge compared to the males that for a moment I wondered if she was another hawk species, like a Ferruginous. Also, I suddenly believed for the first time what I'd read online; that this hawk species is able to carry off jackrabbits.
It also means that the juvenile male Cooper's hawk hadn't been overambitious when he tried to snatch Fergie last month, as I'd thought before.
Photo:
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One of the juvenile male juvenile Cooper's hawks
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My rescue dog, Fergie, waiting by the playground complex until I finish my pull ups.
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Juvenile male Cooper's hawk siblings play courting
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10 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.you can do pullups? i'm impressed. i doubt if many women can.
20 yrs ago i could do a 1 arm pullup. now can barely do a couple with both arms.
callmedubious
Level 8
Oct 12, 2019
0
I call them pull ups, even though they aren't "proper" ones, since I hang by my arms, then pull myself as high as I can, about eight times. It takes the kinks out of my back and arm ligaments and loosens my joints. I also use trekking poles to inch my way up the almost vertical slope back up to my cul-de-sac from the desert floor, which also helps stretch my arm and back muscles.
Beautiful pictures of the birds! So glad little Fergie is safe.
Redheadedgammy
Level 9
Oct 11, 2019
1
Wow. Impressive agility.
UUNJ
Level 8
Oct 11, 2019
2
I know, right?
I once saw an American crow chase a Cooper's hawk down from the sky and into the thick canopy of the forest near my KY farm. The Cooper's hawk darted easily through the thick upper story branches, while the crow blundered around, kept crashing into things and snagging its wings. I heard it squawk as it got tangled once again, then it gave up and flew back up through the canopy.
l laughed so hard I nearly fell off the log I was lying on.
Love the pics. Look out for Fergie...you’ll have to be her guard human!
Marionville
Level 10
Oct 11, 2019
2
Well, the hawk who tried to grab Fergie has apparently learned his lesson, and so far the coyotes just give her a free pass, at least when she's on a leash, and with me. So far, Fergie has shown no sign of noticing in the coyotes at all.
She quietly "heels" me on her leash,and sits whenever I stop, so she isn't readily visible in the sagebrush when I interact with my more dangerous predator friends. So far, none of them have tried to hurt her, except for the one hawk, and he probably didn't recognize her as dog, since she was wearing a dog coat.
One evening a few years ago, two owls started hooting at each other in our yard--one in a tree in the back yard, and one in a tree in our front yard. Our little chihuahua-terrier mix was terrified, and bolted into the house with bulging eyes.
greyeyed123
Level 7
Oct 11, 2019
2
If they were hooting in a typical "owl" hoot pattern, that's a Great Horned Owl, and your dog was correct to get out of there. GHOs are so strong, one carried off my beloved Chinese goose back in the 90s, breaking my heart.
If they were hooting in a typical "owl" hoot pattern, that's a Great Horned Owl, and your dog was correct to get out of there. GHOs are so strong, one carried off my beloved Chinese goose back in the 90s, breaking my heart.
A lady-human here in Florida was attacked by an Owl. Her hair was the target. You might cover your head and see if it helps. Also when I run in the wildlife sanctuaries the hawks and eagles follow from high in the sky looking for what ever might be startled. Then swoop down after I have passed. Not sure how you can keep from being so interesting
. Lastly you could have wildlife officials relocate the nest. They reluctantly did my eagles after a fishhook in the craw episode. Someone maybe enjoying the hawks with a fish on a stick/camera flash scenario which isn’t good for alligators, eagles, hawks or humans if protective laws apply
Shoulderwarmer
Level 5
Oct 11, 2019
1
No, all the local Cooper's hawks are my personal friends, and the juvenile male hawks were only enthusiatically greeting me, as they do every day. It's how they greet family members.
I guess if you've not been following my tales of the desert encounters, that wouldn't be clear in my latest narration. The hawk sibling who went for my dog had never seen her before, since his territory is at the far end of the valley, too far for Fergie to walk without getting tired. His brother hunts closer to my end of the valley so Fergie and I often joined him on his evening hunts, watching him dive after prey while I photographed.
I deliberately introduced Fergie to the Cooper hawk and to the coyote pack that I hike with most mornings, so they'd know she was with me, and off the lunch menu. It worked; the hawk that knew Fergie attacked his brother when he tried to grab her, and saved her life.
That's why we have big dogs in this part of the country. My last dog was 90 lbs. Let's see a hawk try to take her.
Unclehotrod
Level 7
Oct 11, 2019
2
Your pictures are great, If I could I would come and see you so I could hike with you. Would be great to get so close to these creatures. The Wildlife Rehab Center of the North Coast is nearby and they have many different bird species. People bring them and the Center tries to heal them and return them to the wild. I have visited them many times and these birds look dangerous as their claws and beaks are weaponry. You get so close to all the critters and this would be great.
dalefvictor
Level 8
Oct 10, 2019
2
I would love it if a fellow nature and wildlife enthusiast were to go with me! Plus, I'd love to meet you.
If you hung around this area I'd introduce to you my personal wild critter friends, since they seem to accept certain people as being "with me," like my daughter, and Fergie, my 12-lb dog.
But when both she and her boyfriend came with me on a night hike up the desert valley, the coyotes didn't appear, but called to me with an "I'm over here" location call..a very short, low bark with a growling start, rising quickly to a soft bark sound.
When they make this sound, it's signal that I'm being sent a "mind blast" location mental image.
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