Cooper’s Hawk in Springfield’s South End
A Cooper’s Hawk roosts in Springfield’s South End. (c) Greg Saulmon 2012
After several sightings of Cooper’s Hawks in Holyoke in November and early December, I wasn’t too surprised to see one perched in a tree on Margaret Street in Springfield’s South End the other morning.
A man stopped his car as I peered up into a tree, where two crows were scolding the hawk.
“You see a bird?” he said.
“Cooper’s Hawk,” I said.
He asked what the differences were between Red-tailed and Cooper’s Hawks. I rattled off a few field marks to watch for.
“I could tell you saw something. I’m a bird guy, too,” he said before driving off.
So, are we seeing an influx of Cooper’s Hawks in Massachusetts as we head into winter?
I posed the question to Mass Audubon, via Twitter.
“Not really,” was the reply. “Cooper’s hawks are increasing their overall population to the point where they’re just becoming more conspicuous.”
Several times a week over the last month, I’ve spotted a merlin on Wilbraham Av. next to the ball fields at Springfield College. It perches atop a tree, especially toward dusk. I’ve also seen two of its kill sites next to Blake Hall.