March 30 - Here's one for the books. This morning, while watching a couple of kettles of migrating hawks over the centre of Cornwall, I spotted a White-rumped Cooper's Hawk. I'm pretty sure that's a first record for Canada, maybe the world! At first I thought it was a light issue but the bird clearly had white feathers. Unlike a Harrier, which has a small white rump patch visible from above, this bird's feathers could be seen from below as well, to the sides of the tail. They made the tail look wider than normal at the base, contrasting with the barred feathers. Above, the white extended partially up the back, so it was not just the rump lacking colour. It was quite a sight. Brian Morin Cornwall
