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New yard bird and other goodies



On a day dedicated to the first Carolina Butterfly Society trip of the year at Raven Rock State Park, I had 37 species of birds split between Harnett and Cumberland Counties. The highlights up in Harnett were four kestrels and my first yellow-throated warblers of the year. I also heard a black-and-white warbler quite clearly but couldn't find him.
Here at home I was doing laundry and looking at my backyard feeders as often as possible, tallying the usual suspects as they appeared. However, the large accipiter that glided to a landing in a tree on the lower side of the yard was completely unexpected. I got two fair looks at it in the air. While it sat for a few minutes, I looked carefully, noting the thick legs, rounded tail, large head, and a crown that was almost black, darker than the nape or back. An adult, female Cooper's hawk. While I've seen more sharp-shinned this winter than in any previous one, I hadn't seen a Cooper's in two years. I'm happy to be able to add it to my year and yard lists.


Bob
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Robert C. Perkins, Ph.D.
Historian and General Outdoorsman
Fayetteville, NC 28311
rperkins@infi.net