Best and worst week of birding I've ever had in my backyard

Last June I had 7 different warbler species in one week in my little suburban yard in Ohio. Then the next week a Cooper's hawk moved in and cleared out everything. Like literally zero birds for 3 days straight, not even house sparrows. I'm torn on whether to be excited about the hawk or mad about losing my feeder visitors. The hawk even nailed a mourning dove right on my patio. Anyone else get a crazy good week followed by a predator shutting it all down?

3 comments

3 Comments

black.jake5d ago

Oh man, that's such a wild swing from heaven to ghost town (and I bet that dove moment was brutal to witness). The way I see it, you basically got a VIP pass to see nature's real side up close, where the beauty comes with a side of chaos. It stings to lose your regulars but having a Cooper's hawk treat your yard like its personal diner is pretty hard to beat in the long run.

wendyg434d ago

Seeing it as a VIP pass makes me appreciate it more, never thought of it that way before.

miles_garcia2d ago

Ngl last spring I had ten warblers in two days then nothing after a sharp-shinned showed up.