My nest will be here. No, MINE. It’s been an ongoing contest this week between the ravens and I assume the unseen hawks for domination of the old redwood tree and at times the tall tree of the neighbor on our other side.

At one point yesterday even I heard a fair amount of squawking. Richard-the-younger and Kim gave me a birdbook a few years ago that has Cornell Ornithology soundtracks on the side and it notes that their recording of Cooper’s hawks was of one defending its territory. Seeing three ravens perched in the silk oak all looking across the street but no hawk, hoping I wasn’t going to cost him valuable energy defending his airspace from the electronic intruder, I opened the side door and briefly hit play. (Just the one time.)

The ravens vanished.

Again today the birdfeeders were empty for hours at a stretch, all the songbirds avoiding–something.

I got a message from Michelle saying she’d caught a bad cold and just felt really sick and feverish right now (and I inwardly protested but you haven’t been exposed to me for a week now! Poor kid.)

And I thought wistfully towards the universe, missing Don, too, It would really be good to actually get to see Coopernicus, y’know?

About two hours later, he swooped into sight and landed over there. Then he saw me and flew onto the porch and right outside the window, as close as he could get, and perching on the back of a wooden chair, he looked straight in at me for maybe a minute. You rang?

I was in awe. Our full attention was on each other. Such a beautiful bird, the early afternoon sun giving his colors their full glory. Then at last he turned to do a quick glance around him for a bite, nope, and flew back to where he’d been a moment before: the tree the scrub jays like to fly out of to harass the other birds. He jumped and flew through their best haunts, perfectly mimicking their typical patterns, then over to the top of the shed where they sometimes forage. Showing those guys who’s boss for me.

He was right under that redwood tree. Out in the open and as visible as you could ask for: MINE. All of this. Just like I said.

I don’t think I have to worry about who’s winning. He and his mate always do.