Over the weekend, I found Christo in Tompkins Square:
![Christo](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4564/24946851168_0a01f617c7_b.jpg)
He spent most of Saturday afternoon perched in the east half of the park and vocalized for about an hour.
![Christo](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4546/24946852598_be96a223bc_b.jpg)
He seemed to be on alert. Around 3pm, he took off after a couple of intruders who turned out to be a young Cooper's hawk and another red-tail.
![Christo](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4564/24946854208_5d08de2b3a_b.jpg)
The three of them disappeared over St Brigid's church and it all happened so fast, I was unable to get a photo.
![Christo](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4580/24946855588_271eae7229_b.jpg)
On Sunday, Christo waited patiently in the park as the rats came out to play.
![Christo](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4574/27065013609_08e24a2df0_b.jpg)
He picked up a small rat near the Avenue B playground, then proceeded to perch with the rat for about an hour. He didn't attempt to eat it and he didn't call out to Dora, but I wondered if he was waiting for her to show up.
![Christo with a rat](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4551/27065036339_b815e9be5c_b.jpg)
Meanwhile, I've seen more Cooper's hawks around the neighborhood than ever before. They compete with the red-tails, although I haven't seen any serious arguments.
On Sunday, while Christo was in the park, I found this immature Cooper's hawk in the New York City Marble Cemetery.
![Cooper's hawk](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4515/38841523541_e8a37ab3fc_b.jpg)
Earlier in the week, I came upon this gorgeous adult Cooper's in the cemetery.
![Cooper's hawk](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4544/23954038357_8766c076fb_b.jpg)
Here's some video:
While Christo was away from the park, an immature Cooper's hawk flew into the tree on the central lawn.
![Cooper's hawk](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4575/37955214835_10853dfa9e_b.jpg)
This one hung around for a while, halfheartedly chasing pigeons.
![Cooper's hawk](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4585/37955217555_4fd80ae04a_b.jpg)
![Cooper's hawk](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4565/38842243731_0c58670775_b.jpg)
Cooper's hawks fly really fast and are more unpredictable than the red-tails, so I was happy to get a few shots of this one as it darted around the park.
![Cooper's hawk](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4555/23977285617_63b81cae0d_b.jpg)
![Cooper's hawk](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4519/23977291397_9243818c1e_b.jpg)
This is how they usually appear - as a flash through the trees.
![Cooper's hawk](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4566/23977293227_3e995c47c2_b.jpg)
Last year, I saw a Cooper's dive from a tree and swoop so fast across the knees of a row of people sitting near the Krishna tree, no one saw a thing.
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