Cooper's Hawk

Here's a couple of pictures taken yesterday, Tuesday, May 17, 2011, in the oak tree in my front yard. I used my new Canon 70-200mm f2.8L lens, on the Canon EOS 7D body I have.

I had stepped outside to investigate the birds screeching in the tree. They were highly agitated by the visitor below, who occupied a lower branch.

I believe that it's a Cooper's Hawk, though my bird identification skills are minimal. If you know something I don't, please leave me a message below.

You can see some fuzz (feather down) on the end of his beak. He just finished a tasty snack of blue jay. The jay's feathers peppered the ground underneath the tree, and my driveway, next to it.

His beautiful yellow eyes suggest he is a juvenile, and I think he is a male, based on the markings. These birds are known to inhabit suburban areas, and are frequently found around bird feeders for the easy meals. I don't have a bird feeder, but do have some pretty lush landscaping, which draws the birds.

Below, the "business end" of this raptor. Hawks use their talons to seize and kill their prey. The curved beak is used to strip the flesh from the carcass.

You can see a spot of blood on the middle toe of the left foot (picture right).

I like the new lens - it's fast and the image quality (IQ) is high. All in all, a nice test!