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February 15:
We have watched every day for the return of the Cooper's hawks for their 2015 breeding season, and today -- just like the advent of Spring -- both hawks came to their cypress tree in our yard. There are actually three cypress trees close together, and it seems that the hawks consider them one tree.
"Guess who's back?!" Jay called. As usual, being the more observant, Jay was the one to see them first. Rufous perched quietly and watched as Roxie moved about in the tree. She was already gathering sticks and flying them up to the same nest they have used for the past two years. Fortunately, the nest made it through Winter without too much damage, so they will only need to refurbish the nest a bit.
Roxie has changed a lot from last year. This year, she has deep orange eyes and her full adult plumage. Her breast is now striped with classic adult female Cooper's hawk orange and white instead of the brown vertical streaks of last year.
Here is Roxie showing her new colors:
Click to Enlarge.
Continue to Chapter 2: Getting to Know Them Again
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