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On Dec. 11 I was about to turn into my driveway when I saw a smallish hawk sitting on a branch of a tree across the road. The shape looked like an Accipiter, but it looked big for a Sharpie. The tail also looked relatively long for a Sharpie. I was able to take 2 quick shots from my car before it flew behind the car into another tree in my yard, and then disappeared. At the time I thought it might be a Cooper's, but rather dismissed it because they are rare, and I believe unrecorded in King's Co. or the Valley. I posted the pics on a web site for bird photographers labeled as a Sharpie, but several people from Ontario and elsewhere looked at the images and felt they were classic for a Cooper's. I also sent them to an expert who has banded and handled many birds of both species, and he agreed. The 2 images are at - http://www.pbase.com/rb_stern/coopers_hawk . Points in favor of Cooper's as against Sharpie -- -The general lanky, long "jizz", and at the time of the initial observation, the size of the bird. -The fine, tear-drop- shaped streaks on a white background on the breast and extending onto the belly (Sharpies tend to have less well-defined and coarser streaks). -The outer retrices are shorter than the next inner ones, although there appears to be some wear in the tips of the central ones giving the tail at least a partially squared off look. -The eye is straw-colored as against bright yellow. - The supercilium is relatively narrow. Note that all of these characteristics could possibly occur in a large F. Sharpie, but it would be highly unlikely for all to occur together in the same bird, and the breast pattern and outer retrices in particular are pretty diagnostic.I personally feel that the thickness of the legs is too subjective to comment, but others are OK for Cooper's.. I have not seen the bird since. If anyone feels that it is actually a highly unusual Sharpie (or anything else) please feel free to comment. I get the impression that compared to, say, 20 years ago, more Cooper's are being seen, described and now photographed in NS. I wonder if birders are getting better at distinguishing them from the far more common Sharpie, or are they really increasing here? Richard -- ################# Richard Stern, 317 Middle Dyke Rd., RR#1 Port Williams, NS, Canada B0P 1T0 rbstern@ns.sympatico.ca rbstern@xcountry.tv sternrichard@gmail.com ###################
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