We've had Cooper's Hawks nests in years past in neighbors' yards both left and right. The nests always were positioned to make viewing near impossible. This year, though, a pair is nesting next door to one of our daughters, and the view is great. I should have been there a couple of weeks ago, the better to watch the young birds grow. The birds left the nest on July 8. As chicks, each of the three was a different size — small, medium, and large. The latter had left the nest, spending its time on a branch about three feet above its siblings. It needed to replace fuzzy white head feathers with the stripes of a juvenile, and fill out plumage on its breast. But for that it looked fierce and ready to hunt. I've waited at a distance to see adults come in with food, but no luck so far. A grandson has seen one of the adults deliver a squirrel to the nest. Checking weights of both predator and prey, both weigh a pound, give or take. I was curious about the amount of weight with which the bird can fly. The juveniles are occasionally fed by their parents at this point, but soon will be looking for their own squirrels.

This one must have been the first to hatch. It was larger than its siblings, and certainly looked more hawkish. The photos all were taken the same day.