I've often wondered why hawks don't patrol swift roosts regularly.  Sure, I've seen Cooper's Hawks buzz a chimney during the swifts' entrance, but they rarely stick around.  Tonight, however, I watched a male Cooper's land on the lip of a chimney used as a regular swift roost in Westerville (NE suburb of Columbus).  There was a swirling flock of about 100 swifts above the chimney, and most were spooked enough to avoid diving into the top opening.  Eventually a few brave or impatient ones dived in past the hawk.  The Coop made a few unsuccessful attempts to grab these birds, but seemed to be practicing his timing.  Sure enough, eventually one lunge caught a swift, which he carried off.  I suspect this hawk might make regular stops by these roosts, although this is the first time I've ever seen this behavior.  Cooper's Hawks are very common around Columbus, as are swift roosts, so it's possible that we'll see this behavior more often as the hawks learn to exploit this 'food res
 ource'.

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