In a sense, the diseased bird is a predator, carrying an illness that may attack other members of the clan. Ornithologists seem unsure whether this mobbing of ailing birds is limited to unfamiliar crows or can involve members of the family. Since it is not a common phenomenon, it's difficult to study. Road hawk Last Thursday Barbara Wong of Darien noticed a large hawk perched behind Trader Joe's. Actually, hawks seem to like our Interstates, and you can see them perched in trees along the highways, watching for small animals that wander out into the open verges.
Some raptors love cities.
Peregrin Falcons have been known hang out in the centers of both Stamford and Norwalk, picking off plump pigeons. As Barbara suggests, maybe this hawk at Trader Joe's was looking for some gourmet treats. It was on a Saturday around 4 p.m. Don't know how long it was there before I spotted it, but it stayed about five minutes that we know of and then flew off. And it's interesting to know other people have seen the same thing around recently.