They’re good for the soul.
Explore your Neighborhood
Cooper’s hawk- Explore your neighborhood
This immature Cooper’s hawk was seen in downtown Abilene, Texas last winter splashing in a puddle by the curb; however, they are usually more woodland birds. Some of Abilene’s older neighborhoods with larger trees would be a good place to look. Look (and listen) near bird feeders as these hawks are known to hunt them for feeding birds. While their call is fairly distinctive, you’ll more likely notice the cries of protest from the other birds in the area.
Like many other birds, the Cooper’s hawk looks drastically different when young as compared to adults. This can make identifying them rather tricky. This is especially true for this species, as they are very easily confused with a sharp-shinned hawk. While I highly recommend owning a field guide (or one of the many free apps ) don’t let identification intimidate you. Just get out and enjoy the nature in your neighborhood. “I don’t know” is a perfectly acceptable answer if someone asks you about what you are looking at!
When to look
While these hawks can be seen year-round in most of the United Sates, winter is a very good time to be on the look out for birds of prey in Texas. Many species pass through the Big Country during migration, and many winter here.
Just the facts
Cooper’s Hawk
Accipter cooperii
Length: 16.5 inches
Wingspan: 31 inches
Females larger than males
Look around the edges of wooded areas and older neighborhoods.
Remember, there is a lot of nature right outside your door if you take the time to look.
Mexican ground squirrel
In a park near you
The mexican ground squirrel is a rather small squirrel Texans most often see in open park areas darting through the low grass to suddenly disappear. Their burrows are often just holes in the ground without any noticeable mound around it. The ground squirrels in the above photo are grouped around one such hole.
These interesting little squirrels tend to excavate more than one entrance to their tunnels, so that a predator (or blog writer) lying in wait over one entrance may be unaware of an audience behind him.
Despite the feature photo above, mexican ground squirrels are often solitary creatures which will usually evict any other ground squirrels that attempt to share the same area. The above photo is an example of one of the more rare times that they will live in a colony setting. They spend the first part of the year eating plants, but in truth, mexican ground squirrels are omnivores; they will eat insects later in the year, and even meat if it is available.
Prairie dog, not a ground squirrel
They are often the most noticeable small mammal in parks in west central Texas; however, they are sometimes mistaken for the much larger prairie dog. The prairie dog has long been in decline in this part of the state, and many urban residents have never seen a prairie dog in person, so it is not unthinkable that there may be some confusion.
Prairie dogs are large bodied and do not have spots while mexican ground squirrels are slender and have nine rows of white spots on their back. Also, note the difference below between the burrows:
prairie dog
not a prairie dog!
Explore your Neighborhood
So, where is the best place to find nature? In your neighborhood! When we see amazing nature photos or videos we often think of those images being from out there; someplace far away and too rugged for use to actually see ourselves. Truth is that there is plenty of nature to experience in your backyard, down your street, and in your local park. Often we are moving too fast to notice or appreciate it, but I promise you, it is there.
This post is the first in a new series titled, “Explore your Neighborhood,” in which I’ll share with you a few of the great bits of nature that can be found by most urban residents.
instante mense 