A few years ago, when we still lived in South Scottsdale, there was a park nearby that we used to visit often. It sits in a flood protection zone for the monsoon season and is centered around two ponds connected by a narrow little stream. Cottonwoods and pine trees line the water, giving the area a quiet, almost hidden character despite being in the middle of the city. Lots of people use the trails for walks with their dogs or for jogging, so it always feels quietly active.
We moved to Mesa about six years ago, so we haven’t visited the area nearly as much since then.
A couple years ago, we were lucky enough to watch a pair of Cooper’s hawks raising their brood in our old neighborhood .
Cooper’s hawks are always fascinating to observe – quick, agile, and surprisingly playful at times. They often chase smaller birds through the trees and don’t seem to mind water nearly as much as you’d expect from a raptor.
Then construction in the area changed things. For the past two years, the hawks disappeared, and I assumed they had moved on for good.
Recently, I learned that they had returned – at least four of them are back in the park. I had to go see for myself. Sure enough, there were two adults and two younger birds actively working the area again, moving constantly between trees and water.
At one point, I even witnessed one of the hawks drop its prey right in front of me. A moment later, it swooped down from a nearby tree to retrieve it, completely unfazed by my presence.
