In a different Columbus metropark (Blendon Woods), I also saw one of the
nesting Cooper's Hawks (the female) snag a grey squirrel off a branch and
fly off with it. The squirrel was part of a pair that had been chasing each
other around the tree, and the one left behind made some really piteous
noises after the hawk attack.

Andy Sewell
Columbus, Ohio

On Thu, Jan 19, 2012 at 12:59 PM, <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> While living in Ohio a few years ago, I was hiking the Dripping Rock Trail
> at Highbanks Metropark late one afternoon in the late Summer when I
> startled a Cooper's Hawk on the ground on the side of the trail. As it flew
> up, I noticed that it was carrying a Gray Squirrel in its talons.  It flew
> over to and perched on a log, and as I watched for several minutes, it
> proceeded to consume the squirrel starting at the back of the head.  The
> area from which the Hawk initially flew up was where I noted a family of
> Gray Squirrels during the Summer.  Based on the slightly smaller size of
> the squirrel, it appeared that the Cooper's Hawk had nabbed one of the
> squirrels born that year.
>
> Rob Lowry
> Carson City, NV (formerly Powell, Ohio)
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bill Heck <[log in to unmask]>
> To: OHIO-BIRDS <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thu, Jan 19, 2012 9:39 am
> Subject: Re: [Ohio-birds] Hawk attempt at squirrel
>
>
> Last week, we had a Cooper's Hawk and a Gray Squirrel sitting within about
> ive feet of each other on the railing of our backyard deck. The squirrel
> as munching on some bits of food and seemed to be keeping an eye on the
> awk, but did not appear especially nervous. The hawk watched the squirrel
> n what I can only describe as a desultory manner. (Yes, my descriptions of
> oth animals' behavior are highly anthropomorphic!) What does seem obvious
> s that the squirrel did not feel very threatened by the presence of the
> awk. I should note that the hawk appeared by size to be a female; pretty
> ig for a Cooper's.
> There really was no significant interaction; the squirrel kept eating, the
> awk looked around, and within a few minutes they went their separate ways.
> Bill Heck
>
>  > On another note, I saw the most interesting thing that day down the
>  street
>  > from my house:  A Cooper's Hawk had grabbed a Gray Squirrel and had it
>  > pinned to the ground.   I was able to stop and watch this epic
>  struggle.  The
>  > hawk was not tearing at the squirrel -- just holding it down  while it
>  > fought back.  Finally the hawk tried to lift off with it and  couldn't
>  -- so
>  > dropped back down.  After about another minute of looking  around, the
>  hawk
>  > squawked and flew off without the squirrel.  At that  instant, a Red
>  Tail hit
>  > the squirrel (I didn't see it until it hit) and rolled  it -- but didn't
>  grab
>  > it.  The squirrel, no doubt wondering if this day  could get any worse,
>  sort
>  > of ran/staggered to some bushes by this house and went  up into them.
>  > Meanwhile after the missed hit, the Red Tail perched in a  Pin Oak about
>  20 feet
>  > from me and the Cooper's flew back into a Crabapple about  75 feet away,
>  > with both watching the bushes.  After about 10 more minutes  of them
>  watching,
>  > the Red Tail flew off and then I drove off.   Never  saw a Coopers try
> to
>  > grab a full grown Gray Squirrel before -- anyone seen  this?  I know
> they
>  > take Chipmunks and probably those small Red Squirrels,  but a full grown
>  Gray?
>  >
>  > Paul Graham
>  > Worthington
>  >
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> --
> ill Heck
> ______________________________________________________________________
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