Cooper's Hawk

While eating at Sonic last week (not an unusual event), a Cooper's Hawk flew by my Jeep's window under the awning and landed on the ordering station in the center of the patio. The other customers in cars and I all stopped eating and stared. It was noticeable how all movement in the cars stopped. The staff collected at the entrance door to watch. The one patio table that was occupied had a man and his son of about eight years sitting ten feet from the perch. The boy's back was to the bird and he was munching away at his fries unaware of the hawk. After a few seconds his father gently put a hand on his arm and gestured with his head to get the boy to turn and see what what happening. The fries were forgotten.

We all watched for a minute or three while the hawk stood on the perch looking around. He flew from the perch and into the shrubs near the front entrance to the kitchen giving the staff the best view. The father laid his hand back on his son's arm when the boy made a move to get off the bench towards the bird. The son sat back down and watched. A driver in a truck in the drive-thru lane had the next best view being about two paces from the bird when it hopped out of the bushes onto the sidewalk. I could not see whether it got lunch when it hit the bushes, but I do not think so since there was no thrashing or movement to suggest that. After a few more seconds everyone turned to follow his flight under the second awning in front of the drive-thru and on across the parking lot of the medical center across the way.

The spell broke and we could move again. We all finished lunch. The boy was bouncing up and down at the table.